Battle for Gerakan No 2?
Yong Kai Ping and Kuek Ser Kuang KengPublished: Jul 20, 2005 12:47 PM | Updated: Jan 29, 2008 6:21 PM
There may be a battle for the number two spot in Gerakan between 16-year incumbent Kerk Choo Ting and vice-president Dr Koh Tsu Koon in the party's national elections next month.
There may be a battle for the number two spot in Gerakan between 16-year incumbent Kerk Choo Ting and vice-president Dr Koh Tsu Koon in the party's national elections next month.
Whereas, long-time president Dr Lim Keng Yaik, who is also Energy, Water and Telecommunications Minister, is tipped to continue uncontested.
A former Gerakan leader told malaysiakini that Lim still commanded an unshakable authority in the Barisan Nasional component party.
He said the challenge for the deputy president post is to initiate the transition plan premeditated by Lim and Koh, who is also Penang chief minister.
The contest stemmed in part from Lim's announcement in March that his next three-year term ending in 2008 will be his last.
Therefore, whoever holds the number two post will most probably ascend the throne.
On the possibility that Kerk may go for broke and challenge the president, the former leader said it is not possible as Lim dominates the party resources.
Close rapport with PM
It is learnt that Koh's rapport with Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi is one of his advantages.
The party's younger leaders also feel that Koh taking over the presidency will help accelerate the generational change in the party.
Over the past few years, Gerakan has been recruiting many young professional members.
According to the former leader, incumbent Kerk is not welcomed on the ground and this makes him an underdog in the contest.
He estimated that the incumbent could only secure a maximum of 30 percent votes. Kerk could not be reached for comment.
Regarding the allegation of Federal Territory State Liaison President Dr Tan Kee Kwong that some central committee members were intervening in the state election, he said Tan was unhappy over his removal as the land and co-operative development deputy minister last year.
As for a letter containing attacks against the president, he said it came from a Johor-based supporter of a former party leader repelled by Lim.
While he claimed that the letter was irrelevant to deputy president contest, others beg to differ.
Some party members told malaysiakini that the letter is closely related to the contest as it accused Lim of monopolising the party's power and practicing nepotism.
Meanwhile, the former leader also dismissed the suggestion that the intense fighting in some states will affect the president's transition plan.
He said Lim still has strong control over the elections and his remark to the media that he may be challenged was just a strategy to ward off aspirants.
He wishes to complete his last term uncontested, added the former leader.
However, there could still be a snag in the plan in the form Taiping division chief Yeong Sing Chee, who is a staunch supporter of Kerk (pix).
Yeong may take on the president if Koh challenges Kerk for the number two post.
Whereas, long-time president Dr Lim Keng Yaik, who is also Energy, Water and Telecommunications Minister, is tipped to continue uncontested. A former Gerakan leader told malaysiakini that Lim still commanded an unshakable authority in the Barisan Nasional component party.
He said the challenge for the deputy president post is to initiate the transition plan premeditated by Lim and Koh, who is also Penang chief minister.
The contest stemmed in part from Lim's announcement in March that his next three-year term ending in 2008 will be his last.
Therefore, whoever holds the number two post will most probably ascend the throne.
On the possibility that Kerk may go for broke and challenge the president, the former leader said it is not possible as Lim dominates the party resources.
Close rapport with PM
It is learnt that Koh's rapport with Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi is one of his advantages. The party's younger leaders also feel that Koh taking over the presidency will help accelerate the generational change in the party.
Over the past few years, Gerakan has been recruiting many young professional members.
According to the former leader, incumbent Kerk is not welcomed on the ground and this makes him an underdog in the contest.
He estimated that the incumbent could only secure a maximum of 30 percent votes. Kerk could not be reached for comment.
Regarding the allegation of Federal Territory State Liaison President Dr Tan Kee Kwong that some central committee members were intervening in the state election, he said Tan was unhappy over his removal as the land and co-operative development deputy minister last year.
As for a letter containing attacks against the president, he said it came from a Johor-based supporter of a former party leader repelled by Lim.
While he claimed that the letter was irrelevant to deputy president contest, others beg to differ.
Some party members told malaysiakini that the letter is closely related to the contest as it accused Lim of monopolising the party's power and practicing nepotism.
Meanwhile, the former leader also dismissed the suggestion that the intense fighting in some states will affect the president's transition plan.
He said Lim still has strong control over the elections and his remark to the media that he may be challenged was just a strategy to ward off aspirants.
He wishes to complete his last term uncontested, added the former leader.
However, there could still be a snag in the plan in the form Taiping division chief Yeong Sing Chee, who is a staunch supporter of Kerk (pix). Yeong may take on the president if Koh challenges Kerk for the number two post.
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