Echoing recent dissatisfaction with the Gerakan leadership, grassroots leaders today called upon its national leaders to eat humble pie and start listening to its members on the ground.

Putting it bluntly Kelantan delegate Ong Khang Woon warned the leadership that they owe their position to party members and not vice-versa.

"Leaders should understand that they do not own their position, they do not own the party," he said at the National Delegates Conference in Kuala Lumpur today.

Ong added that what they need are leaders who can bring solutions to their problems, those with wisdom, honesty and sincerity.

Gan Peng Lam from Malaca questioned whether Gerakan and its leadership have really changed since the debacle of 2008 which saw the party lost nearly all its seats.

"Have we transformed, or are we still dreaming in our comfort zone?" he asked.

Gan cautioned that leaders must go to ground and listen to grassroots.

"Just because we are silent doesn't mean we are for you we, are the silent majority and we may translate out silence to protest votes," he said.

According to him the straw that broke the camel's back occurred at the EGM in Penang.

All must change

"The general consensus on the ground is that leadership is disconnected from the members. Leaders who do not listen to grassroots do not deserve accolades," he reasoned.

However, Kedah delegate Tang Hiang Lye said that the blame rests not only with the president but should be borne by the rest of the central committee members.

He also argued that the head alone is not enough to ensure change, but the body must move as well. As such he said that the members must move for change and not only ask the leaders to do so.