Addressing the Youth and Wanita delegates for the last time as Gerakan deputy president, Kerk Choo Ting today made an outright appeal for votes when he takes on the top man in the party tomorrow.

"Please vote for me in tomorrow's elections," he said to a resounding applause from those attending the party's national delegates conference in Kuala Lumpur.

Earlier, he cited how a successful American presidential candidate went to thank his neighbour for voting for him but the latter told him that he did not do so.

And when the surprised president enquired why, the neighbour replied 'you never asked me to vote for you'.

According to Kerk, the story was told to him by the new deputy president Dr Koh Tsu Koon three years ago.

Leadership transition

Touching on the leadership transition in Gerakan, he said it should be done in accordance with the party constitution and not based on the 'promise by a leader'.

This was in reference to incumbent president Dr Lim Keng Yaik's pledge to step down in 2007 or 2008, which Kerk had previously dismissed as a sham.

He also told the 1,191 delegates that in the context of organisational management, 'nobody is indispensable'.

The relationship between the top two leaders soured after Lim openly declared that he preferred Koh to succeed him.

"In this context, the smooth transition of leaders must be intitutionalised and provided by the rules and regulations of an organisation," said Kerk.

At a press conference later, he said that the open plea for support was to avoid criticism that he was too proud to ask the delegates to back him.

Asked if the rules allowed him to campaign in his opening speech, he replied that there is nothing in the constitution which prohibited this.

"I did it in a limited way. I only reserved the last small portion to do a little bit of campaigning. Otherwise people will say you are very proud. So I asked for support," he said.

Negative politics

In his 11-page speech earlier, Kerk urged party members to avoid negative politics

"Negative aspects of politics such as factionalism, cliques, money politics, nepotism and cronyism must be curtailed and not be allowed to raise its ugly head in Gerakan," he said.

He said democracy and the spirit of comradeship must continue to be practiced at all levels in the party.

"Opinions must be freely expressed without fear and favour and decisions of the party taken in accordance to the wishes and aspirations of the majority," he said.

He also touched on the party's history and past presidents, strongly hinting that Lim's 25-year-long reign is far too long.

Apart from this, Kerk also urged the delegates to vote for the only woman vice-presidency candidate Rhina Bhar tomorrow.

Rhina, a lawyer by training, was the party's former Wanita chief.

Umno Youth chief Hishammuddin Hussein and his deputy Khairy Jamaluddin were also present. Other Barisan Nasional leaders who attended were MCA's new Youth chief Liow Tiong Lai, secretary-general Dr Wee Ka Siong and representatives from the MIC.