Gerakan Central Committee Rejects Tsu Koon's Resignation Offer

KUALA LUMPUR, March 10 (Bernama) -- Gerakan's Central Committee, the party's decision-making body, tonight rejected Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon's offer to resign as acting president following the party's disastrous showing in the recently-concluded general election.

Party secretary-general Datuk Seri Chia Kwang Chye said the CC unanimously made the decision after Dr Koh submitted his resignation letter to the committee during its meeting at the party's headquarters here.

Dr Koh said he took responsibility for the party's poor performance, particularly after having been totally wiped out from its power base of Penang.

"The CC discussed the matter at length. After much deliberation, we have decided to reject the resignation," Chia told reporters after the meeting.

Dr Koh, before chairing the CC meeting, had told reporters that he was assuming full responsibility for the party's defeat and would tender his resignation letter as acting president during the CC meeting.

The meeting, which began at 8 p.m., was attended by most of its CC members, including party adviser Datuk Seri Dr Lim Keng Yaik.

"As the acting president, I take responsibility for the defeat of the party, especially in Penang. So I would offer my resignation afterwards to the Central Committee (CC)," said Dr Koh.

But three hours later, Chia told an unscheduled press conference that Dr Koh's resignation was rejected as the CC members felt that the party leaders should stay together to shoulder the defeat and try to rebuild the party after the major setback.

Chia also said that the party leadership would draft a comprehensive proposal to re-invent the party in order for it to win back support from the people.

"This proposal would be discussed at a special session of the national, youth and women delegates in near future. We will call all our grassroot leaders to attend this closed-door session to discuss the matter," he said, adding that Gerakan would not be making public where or when it was going to hold the special session.

Meanwhile, Dr Koh in his immediate reaction to the CC's decision, said he was touched by the support given by the CC members even though he sincerely wanted to resign as acting president.

"I very much want to take full responsibility for the defeat of the party as this is the honourable thing to do but the team wants me to stay on to work together and rebuild the party.

"I am staying on not because I'm greedy for the position but because of the team spirit. I would like to take this opportunity to urge our candidates who had lost in the election not to lose spirit but to continue serving the people," he said.

-- BERNAMA