'KPI' minister Tsu Koon unfazed by quit call

Gerakan president Dr Koh Tsu Koon is unfazed by the call from a BN parliamentarian for him to step down as minister in the Prime Minister's Department for alleged poor performance.

"My answer to him is no. That is wrong. We will not be distracted. We are committed to what we want to do," he said in reference to the call by Sri Gading MP Mohamad Aziz last Thursday in the Dewan Rakyat.

"This is a very important period where we have to work together," he said, adding that under the new government of Prime Minister Najib Razak, there have been a series of changes and challenges and one must ask how one could contribute to this process of change.

Koh attributed Mohamad's statement to "negative forces" and said it violated the spirit of BN, but added that he believed that with the support of all party members, the positive forces would eventually overcome the negative ones.

"Of course, there will be negative forces who don't agree ... within the BN, within component parties, even within Gerakan. They will continue to blame others," he said when opening the Gerakan Life Members General Assembly here today.

Meanwhile, 50 Gerakan Youth leaders held a protest against Mohamad Aziz at the lobby of Menara PGRM in Cheras, where the party is holding its AGM.

They demanded Umno to take action against Mohamad Aziz.

Wanita Gerakan chief Tan Lian Hoe also expressed regret over Mohamad's statement, saying he had shown disrespect to the prime minister who had appointed Koh as a minister.

MCA boss also told to resign

When debating the Supply Bill 2010, Mohamad questioned the government's appointment of Koh as minister in the PM's Department overseeing the Key Performance Index (KPI), saying he believed Koh had not performed well himself.

The government backbencher had also urged MCA president Ong Tee Keat to withdraw from his ministerial post, saying he had lost the confidence of his own party and his image had been tarnished.

Koh said Gerakan was facing a difficult period and great challenges after the 2008 General Election.

"We have to go back to basics, to the people, by looking back at our history and struggle to move forward into a new era. We have a lot to do and work very hard," he said.

'Mind your own business'

Ong’s political secretary Simon Lim has also hit back at the Umno MP, telling Mohamad Aziz to mind his own business.

“Whether Ong - or any other ministers - had failed to live up to expectations is for the prime minister, their own political parties and the people to decide. They should respect the prime minister who made the appointment. They have no rights to poke their noses in.”

Lim hinted that those who called for Ong’s resignation of harbouring “hidden agendas” as Mohamad Aziz is seen to be close to Backbenchers Club chairperson Tiong King Sing, who has a running battle with the MCA boss.

“Were they acting under instructions from anyone? Are they taking advantage of certain political developments to further their own agendas? Or are they deliberately helping to fuel rumours that certain quarters outside MCA are seizing the opportunity to hit out at Ong?”

Lim said that BN MPs should use proper channels to raise their grouses.

“If they have any issues with their comrades in the ruling coalition, there are proper forums to air their grievances.”

"It will not resolve the political exigency, and the BN can be likened to a sinking ship. It is an arrogant statement," she said in her Wanita Gerakan policy speech at the Gerakan Youth and Wanita Delegates Conference at Menara PGRM, here.

Gerakan Youth deputy chairman Oh Tong Keong said Mohamad's statement was contrary to the BN spirit as it could undermine relations among BN component parties.

Meanwhile, some 30 Gerakan Youth and Wanita members staged a protest for 15 minutes in front of the Dewan Wawasan at Menara PGRM demanding for Mohamad to withdraw his statement and apologise to Koh.