Speculation is mounting among political observers in Penang as to the continued sustainability of Gerakan in the state which it once held power as key leaders continue their exodus from the party.
 
In January, Gerakan president Mah Siew Keong said the party was confident of regaining a few seats in Penang. This despite the party finishing empty handed in the past two elections - in 2008 and 2013.
 
Sources within the party have questioned Mah's brash confidence when Penang Gerakan under the leadership of its chairperson Teng Chang Yeow appears "wobbly" following the recent resignation of two key leaders.
 
They are state Gerakan Wanita chief Rowena Yam and state Social Media Bureau chief Yeap Ban Choon.
 
Yeap (left) - who once headed a vocal grassroots movement called Geraklah Gerakan - was behind Penang Gerakan’s emergency general meeting five years ago to call for a vote of no-confidence against then state chief Dr Teng Hock Nan.
 
"Gerakan is sinking under Teng's leadership and more members will be leaving soon," the source alleged.
 
Yeap, however, said that although he was happy with Teng's leadership, he felt he could no longer contribute to the party under the current political scenario.
 
"No matter what we do, the public opinion of us is bad and our targeted voters will not come back. Umno, our partner in BN, is facing all kinds of scandals [...] how can we fight with that type of perception?" he asked.
 
"We are going against the flow. Whatever I do is not enough. Unless there is another radical change or realignment, I will lie low," he said.
 
Top leaders getting perks
 
Asked what he meant by ‘realignment’, Yeap said Gerakan should quit BN since it failed to get any votes after two national-level polls.
 
"But I know why we did not leave, it is because our top leaders are getting the perks. As long as they remain in BN, nothing will change," he lamented, saying he will now focus on his business.
 
Yam's resignation, meanwhile, was accepted by the party on March 12 and speculation is rife that she quit over not being appointed state BN Wanita chief.
                                                                                             By convention, the post is given to the state Gerakan Wanita chief and the appointment is made by the BN national Wanita chief, who is currently Shahrizat Abdul Jalil.
 
Shahrizat has yet to appoint anyone as Penang BN Wanita chief. Instead, former Gerakan Wanita chief Ng Siew Lai's position as state BN Wanita chief has been extended to 2016.
 
When contacted, Yam (right) confirmed her resignation, saying: "I do not want to say much for now.”
 
She denied that her resignation was due to her not being appointed the state BN Wanita chief.
 
Yam also denied that she had problems with Teng's leadership of Penang Gerakan, a post which he won after an open tussle with lawyer and then state Legal and Human Rights Bureau chairperson Baljit Singh.
 
She nevertheless refused to elaborate on her decision to quit the party.
 
Party needs to 'move forward'
 
It is, however, learnt that Teng had submitted Yam's name for state BN Wanita chief but the appointment was delayed as her peers apparently felt she lacked grassroots support.
 
She was also said to be less visible despite organising a local anti-corruption run in August last year and being at the forefront of the movement to reinstate English as the language for science and mathematics.
 
When contacted, state BN Wanita chief Ng (left) said Yam had resigned due to other commitments.
 
"This is what she told me when I spoke to her. But the party needs to move forward. We will soon decide on an acting Wanita chief and the appointment will be done at the national level," said Ng.
 
Ng clarified that when she won the state Gerakan Wanita chief’s post, she was not immediately appointed as state BN Wanita chief.
 
"Former Gerakan Wanita chief Kee Phaik Cheen, my predecessor, held on to the post before it was passed on to me," she said.