KUALA LUMPUR, June 23 — A former officer from a Gerakan think tank told the party today that leaving Barisan Nasional (BN) would not help.
Ng Yeen Seen, former deputy director-general of SEDAR Institute, said the current Gerakan leadership must take responsibility for the party’s losses since 2008 that culminated with its failure to win a single parliament or state seat in the 2018 election.
“In fact, the announcement to Leave BN this morning after the CC (central committee) meeting is not going to be a magical solution nor staying in BN will help Gerakan in any way.
“For now, Gerakan is politically dead and will need a major revamp before the party can even think about making a comeback in Malaysian politics,” Ng told Malay Mail.
She pointed out that MCA president Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai and Umno president Datuk Seri Najib Razak had resigned from their positions and did not contest in their upcoming party elections.
“Similarly, Gerakan leadership and those who did not make it in the recent election should be honourable to accept defeats and take up responsibilities,” she said.
News portal Malaysiakini reported Gerakan vice president Datuk Dominic Lau as saying that the party has rejected president Datuk Seri Mah Siew Keong’s resignation letter, asking him to continue to lead the party until its elections in November.
Gerakan announced earlier today its decision to leave BN after the 14th general election that saw the coalition lose federal power for the first time.
BN — formerly a coalition of 13 component parties from the peninsula, Sabah and Sarawak — is now left with the original parties of its predecessor, the Alliance, comprising Umno, MCA and MIC.
