Keng Yaik to quit as Gerakan adviser, disappointed in Tsu Koon

Keng Yaik to quit as Gerakan adviser, disappointed in Tsu Koon

UPDATED KUALA LUMPUR (Star) - Gerakan adviser and former president Tun Dr Lim Keng Yaik will write in and resign as the party adviser on Tuesday.

He said he was disappointed with the way president Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon handled the conflicts in the party.

"He is someone who hates getting involved in solving conflicts for fear of offending people," he told reporters at a press conference on Wawasan Open University's inaugural convocation here Monday.

Koh - ostrich behavior

He said Dr Koh's attitude of speaking no evil and burying his head in the sand had brought about many problems in the party.

“I’m very sad as the adviser and the former party president for 27 years.

“Maybe my outburst will shake him up but I don’t think so.

“What is the point of becoming the adviser when the president doesn’t listen to you? So I’m going to resign,” he said.

He also lambasted Dr Koh for choosing not to attend the Penang Gerakan extraordinary general meeting on Oct 10 in favour of attending the opening of MCA annual general meeting on the same day.

“How can he not go for the EGM and try to solve the problem? How can he go to MCA? It shows the priority is all wrong.

“In all my years as the party president, I had sent my deputy (president) and secretary-general to represent me at Umno, MCA and MIC assemblies.

“You (Dr Koh) are more needed to solve problems in Gerakan than doing PR practice,” he said.

Dr Koh had said his decision would not cause any impact on the running of the meeting. called to institute a vote of no confidence against state chairman Datuk Dr Teng Hock Nan.

The EGM was called following the failure of the party leadership to persuade a group of members to withdraw their request to table a vote of no confidence against Dr Teng.

Dr Teng, 64, is also party vice-president and a former four-term assemblyman. He is a close ally of Dr Koh and one of the three leaders identified as a potential chief minister before the last general election.

Dr Lim said the Penang Gerakan leadership crisis, which “saddened him and made his heart bleed”, was started by a few disgruntled members.

“One or two party leaders in Penang are assessing the situation of the conflict, not knowing whether they will get to be the Penang Gerakan chief but simply trying to test the waters,” he said, adding that Dr Koh must take responsibility for the chaos in the party.

When asked who were the party leaders in Penang he was referring to, Dr Lim said: “You have to guess for yourself.”

Dr Lim said there was no such need to call for the meeting as the party election would be held next year.

“If you are dissatisfied with him (Dr Teng), you just have to wait until next year.

“There is no need to hold the EGM,” he said.

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