Gerakan blames arrogance for crushing polls defeat

KUALA LUMPUR, Sun:

Gerakan has blamed its own arrogance for its crushing defeat in the 12th General Election. “Perhaps, power had gone to our heads after leading Penang for 39 years. We have not done enough in our own approach and attitude,” said acting party president Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon.

Speaking to the press after a closed-door meeting with 1,500 central delegates, Koh was merciless in analysing Gerakan’s whitewash in Penang, and similarly disastrous performance nationwide where it won only two parliamentary and four state seats.

Koh blamed the party’s dismal performance to its leaders losing touch with the grassroots as well as arrogance of power in BN.

He said due to their busy schedule as government officials, the needs of the rakyat were neglected.

The general election results were also due to the peoples dissatisfaction of perceived arrogance of power within BN, especially over certain Umno leaders whom through their words or actions have resulted in resentment, he said, adding that BN also needed to change its way in order to survive.
But Koh also described the results as a blessing in disguise. “It is a wake-up call. We have resolved to go back to our original ideals, people, politics and conscience. We are going back to the party’s non-racial approach, take care of the peoples need, make the party relevant to young people and look closely at what is right and wrong and act accordingly, he said.

The meeting saw delegates calling for the leadership to be more vocal in voicing the needs of the people and for the party to renew itself. Although the party will be celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, Gerakan will not throw a bash. Instead, it will be on soul searching mode as it looks at ways to consolidate the party to face a challenging future.

“The next decade is going to be very challenging for the party and we hoped by our 50th anniversary, we can regain our place in politics,” Koh said. “There is a need for a new Gerakan to emerge to be a driver of constructive reforms within the Barisan Nasional coalition.”

--NST