Gerakan is still critical of the government but the party is moving towards a platform where it can contribute to the nation in "positive ways", said secretary-general Chia Kwang Chye today.

"We don't think we have lost our bite. Members and leaders still speak opposing views," he said when asked to comment on claims that the party's role as a watchdog had diminished over the years.

"Members feel that we should now contribute some positive things," he added, citing the use of digital technologies at the party's ongoing 30th National Delegates Conference in Kuala Lumpur as an example.

Explaining further, Chia said the smart cards (containing personal particulars of delegates) and touch-screen kiosk displaying hourly updates of the event were "small contributions from the party to expose the public to information technologies."

Earlier, several delegates told malaysiakini that the 33-year-old party was slowly losing its niche as 'the ruling dissident'.

Gerakan, noted for its vocality on social and economic issues started out as an opposition party in 1968. However, the party lost many of its leaders when it joined Barisan Nasional in 1972.

High praises

Claiming that a new political culture of "members pleasing leaders" was seeping into the party, several delegates said that this was evident during the debate on president Dr Lim Keng Yaik's speech.

There were "high praises" for the party president and this was "unusual", said the delegates.

When the issue was raised at a press conference later, Chia said the cause for this unprecedented response has to be studied before jumping to conclusions.

"There have been news reports in The Star suggesting that the president no longer has overwhelming grassroots support," he said, adding that this was inaccurate and "this is why delegates voiced their support for Lim".

Chia stressed the party does not promote "high praises for leaders", in line with its tradition and "any small praise is enough to give our leaders goose bumps".

Lim who has been Gerakan's president since 1980 is also the Primary Industries Minister.

The Star is owned by MCA which has been at loggerheads with Gerakan over several issues, the most notable one being the chief minister post in Penang. The present chief minister is Gerakan vice-president Dr Koh Tsu Koon.

Gerakan leaders have regularly raised the issue of the daily's bias against the party.

Militant threat

Earlier, during the four-hour debate on the president's speech, delegates generally expressed concern over the emergence of a militant threat in Malaysia and raised several other national issues as well.

Kuala Lumpur delegate Goh Lai Ming said Malaysians should safeguard themselves against all forms of religious fanaticism which could undermine national security and stability.

Penang delegate Koh Boon Ping touched on the controversial Internal Security Act which was invoked against opposition leaders, pro-reform activists as well as militant group members in recent months.

He called for a review of the Act and stressed that people who pose a threat to national security be charged in court and not detained without trial.

Pahang delegate Tan Ah Bin criticised the "deplorable" corruption problem plaguing the country and urged the government to take stern and immediate actions to solve the matter.

Another delegate, Teh Kok Ching from Kedah said the BN "marriage" has been unsatisfactory as leaders were "unfriendly and not acting in the best interest of the people".

While Perak delegate See Tean Seng raised the issue of digital divide between rural and urban areas, and criticised the computer scheme initiated by the Employee Provident Fund (EPF).

According to See the scheme was " poorly implemented and created problems for purchasers".

Tomorrow, delegates at the two-day conference will be voting on seven proposed resolutions and a number of amendments to the party constitution.