Former Gerakan Wanita chief Kee Phaik Cheen will remain a Penang state executive councillor despite her defeat in the movement's triennial polls yesterday, party president Dr Lim Keng Yaik said today.

"She's an exco member and she will stay an exco member. There's no need for her to think otherwise. Let us not make any demand to the contrary. That is not the Gerakan spirit", he emphasised.

He was responding to a question on whether Kee's defeat would affect her tourism, culture, arts, and women's development portfolio in the state government.

Lim explained that the essence of the Gerakan spirit is that "winner doesn't take all and the loser doesn't lose all".

He said he saw lawyer Rhina Bhar's victory over Kee as the new Wanita chief as a sign that the movement wanted to separate party work from government work.

"It looks like they chose Rhina to lead the Wanita while Kee can continue to concentrate on her state exco work. This spirit is good and they still respect each other," he told a press conference after the opening of the two-day Gerakan delegates conference in Kuala Lumpur this afternoon.

Rhina had been deputy Wanita chief for 18 years before she decided to challenge Kee last week. She scored 219 votes at the polls yesterday, defeating Kee who received 192 votes.

Rhina, a Sikh, is the first non-Chinese woman to lead the party's movement since its inception in 1982.

Non-racial approach

Lim said today that Rhina's victory had illustrated the point that Gerakan is a multi-racial party.

"Gerakan is a multiracial party using a non-racial approach. I have said this many times but you (reporters) may ask how many percent of Chinese and non-Chinese [are there in the party].

"We may not be multiracial in composition but we are non-racial in approach. It is shown by the Wanita election. I am very proud of my girls," said the president who has been helming the predominantly Chinese Gerakan for 22 years.

He also cited vice-president Dr S Vijayaratnam as proof that Gerakan recognises anyone who has contributed vastly to the party regardless of race.

Lim said he will persuade Kee to be the adviser of Wanita as suggested by Rhina after the election results were announced yesterday.

"Let the emotions settle down first. Even if there's no official position, it is an honour given to her for her contribution. I will advise her to reconsider [the offer]," he said.

Kee, who broke down in tears when she failed to defend her Wanita chief post, had said that the movement's constitution did not provide for an adviser's post.

Men stayed out of Wanita polls

Lim also said he would consider appointing Kee into the party's central committee. Gerakan constitution gives power to the president to appoint up to six central committee members into the party's key decision-making body.

When asked, he said he did not think that Kee would have retained her Wanita chief post even if he voiced his support for her.

"I hate to say that the women don't listen much to me. They always say men should stay out, so we stay out. Once I make sure that the candidates are not contesting for personal reasons, I will let it go. I am not that powerful to influence the delegates' decision," he said.

Lim had earlier appealed to the party delegates to retain the party's top seven himself, deputy president Kerk Choo Ting, secretary-general Chia Kwang Chye, national treasurer Ng Chiang Chin, and vice-presidents Dr Koh Tsu Koon, Dr S Vijayaratnam and Dr Tan Kee Kwong.

The seven, which the president had described as a "good team", are expected to retain their posts for another three-year term.