Barely 24 hours after he voiced his support for opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim in the Permatang Puah by-election, Gerakan leader Dr Toh Kin Woon has quit his party.

The Gerakan central committee member turned in his resignation today, addressed to secretary-general Chia Kwang Chye.

In a telephone interview, Toh said he has quit the party to concentrate on NGO work - particularly in the field of Chinese education and with reform movement Aliran.

toh kin woon 101007 smiling"I've already retired from electoral politics and feel that it is better for me to concentrate on NGO work," said Toh.

"Furthermore, by freeing myself from any political parties, I will be able to express myself more freely and not embarrass the party, should my views be different from theirs."

While most Barisan Nasional politicians were expressing their confidence in winning the Permatang Pauh by-election, Toh was seen visiting the PKR election operation centre yesterday.

During the visit the veteran politician expressed his support for Anwar and feels that the PKR leader's addition to Parliament can help strengthen democracy.

The vocal politician stressed that he was not supporting Anwar-led PKR as a party but the movement and the cause which the PKR politician has been fighting for.

Denies party pressure

toh kin woon biodata 111007The 64-year-old politician also denied that he was pressured to quit after visiting Anwar's operation centre in Permatang Pauh yesterday.

"There has been no pressure for me to quit and I harbour no ill-feelings from the party," said Toh.

"Moving on and concentrating on NGO work is more important to me now. I feel that civil society can be a strong force to promote democracy and ensure that excesses are checked," he explained.

Additionally, he also denied that he has been courted by Pakatan Rakyat parties to join them. Nor has there any offers to join any of the state agencies, he added.

"I wish to categorically state here that I won't be joining any parties," said Toh.

dr toh kin won permatang pauh by election 180808Toh (in red shirt) is the second senior Gerakan politician to quit the party after the general elections in March.

Former Gerakan deputy secretary-general Lee Kah Choon resigned in April after accepting Penang chief minister Lim Guan Eng appointed him as chairperson of InvestPenang.

Another Gerakan leader in limbo is FT chief Dr Tan Kee Kwong.

The newly appointed chief of Selangor's task force on land management is currently under suspension for accepting the offer from Selangor menteri besar Khalid Ibrahim.

Malaysiakini interview with Toh last year

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