Gerakan goes multi-colour, sheds 'Chinese' skin

By Athi Shankar - Free Malaysia Today

GEORGE TOWN: In an effort to tone down its “Chinese” image, Penang Gerakan would open 40 new branches to reflect the party's original multi-racial struggle and the 1Malaysia concept.

Each of the state’s 40 assembly seats would have one “multi-racial” Gerakan branch.

To achieve this, Penang Gerakan chief Dr Teng Hock Nan said a statewide membership drive would be launched to recruit more non-Chinese members.

He said the state leadership would ensure that the new branches were made up of various races.

“This is reflective of the party's original struggle,” he said, when unveiling a reshuffled state party leadership line up to the media here this morning.

He also said the party’s move was in line with Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak’s 1Malaysia concept to foster greater racial unity.

Teng conceded that the party membership was overwhelmingly Chinese at present. “We have to shed this image by recruiting more Malays and Indians into these new branches,” he said.

Currently, Penang Gerakan has 63,000 members in 197 branches.

New line-up

Meanwhile, former Batu Uban assemblyman Goh Kheng Sneah was appointed as the new state Gerakan secretary.

He replaces Ong Thean Lye, who was appointed as state vice-chairman alongside three others – party secretary-general and Tanjung division chairman Teng Chang Yeow; former Pantai Jerejak assemblyman and Bayan Baru division chairman Wong Mun Hoe and Nibong Tebal division chairman Dr Lim Boon Han.

Ng Fook On remains as the state treasurer, as does state Youth chief Oh Tong Keong and women's wing chief Ng Siew Lai. Party president Koh Tsu Koon remains as state advisor.

Teng said the new state committee would lure more young talents to assume various bureau duties to train them for the future leadership.

He said he had finalised the new line up after consulting several top party leaders.

The state Gerakan chairman endured a political scare when he narrowly survived a vote of no confidence against his leadership during an extraordinary general meeting (EGM) on Oct 10.