Gerakan has not 'given up' on Penang
Published: Sep 15, 2010 5:42 AM | Updated: Sep 15, 2010 6:27 AM
Gerakan has not given up hopes of taking reign in Penang as certain Umno leaders claim, the party’s vice-president Mah Siew Keong says.
Gerakan has not given up hopes of taking reign in Penang as certain Umno leaders claim, the party’s vice-president Mah Siew Keong says.
Mah said certain Umno leaders had misunderstood Penang Gerakan chairperson Teng Hock Nam’s prediction that the Pakatan Rakyat state government cannot be defeated in the next general election.
“We should not misunderstand Teng’s intention when he said that we cannot win back Penang... I believe Teng’s intention is to convince Gerakan members that they must work harder for the next general election.
“It cannot be denied that the situation in Penang is not favourable at
the moment and we need to have the cooperation of everybody in the Gerakan and BN, as well as work out strategies to win.
“We must be realistic about our weaknesses. We cannot bluff ourselves that the situation is so good now. However, if we work hard, then BN will stand a good chance,” said Mah (right).
Despite Gerakan’s dismal showing in the 2008 general election, he said, the party was still the best to lead BN in Penang because of its “good track record” since 1972.
Mah was commenting on statements by Umno Youth information chief Reezal Merican Naina Merican and Penang Umno liaison committee deputy chairperson Zainal Abidin Osman.
Following Teng’s comments about Gerakan’s chances, Reezal and Zainal urged the party to “surrender” its seats to other BN component parties, since it was no longer confident of taking on Pakatan.
Putting on his pundit’s hat, Teng’s predicted that Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng would be able to stay on for another term after the 13th general election, but Pakatan would lose the state in the polls after that.
Mah said certain Umno leaders had misunderstood Penang Gerakan chairperson Teng Hock Nam’s prediction that the Pakatan Rakyat state government cannot be defeated in the next general election.
“We should not misunderstand Teng’s intention when he said that we cannot win back Penang... I believe Teng’s intention is to convince Gerakan members that they must work harder for the next general election.
“It cannot be denied that the situation in Penang is not favourable at
the moment and we need to have the cooperation of everybody in the Gerakan and BN, as well as work out strategies to win.“We must be realistic about our weaknesses. We cannot bluff ourselves that the situation is so good now. However, if we work hard, then BN will stand a good chance,” said Mah (right).
Despite Gerakan’s dismal showing in the 2008 general election, he said, the party was still the best to lead BN in Penang because of its “good track record” since 1972.
Mah was commenting on statements by Umno Youth information chief Reezal Merican Naina Merican and Penang Umno liaison committee deputy chairperson Zainal Abidin Osman.
Following Teng’s comments about Gerakan’s chances, Reezal and Zainal urged the party to “surrender” its seats to other BN component parties, since it was no longer confident of taking on Pakatan.
Putting on his pundit’s hat, Teng’s predicted that Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng would be able to stay on for another term after the 13th general election, but Pakatan would lose the state in the polls after that.
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