Teng Chang Yeow elected new Penang Gerakan chief

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NEW CHIEF: Teng (centre) celebrates the victory with new Gerakan committee members (from left) Tan Kah Leong, Lee Boon Ten, Ng Siew Lai, Teng Chang Yeow, H Puvaniten, Teh Kheng Siong dan Dr Thor Teong Gee. — Bernama photo

GEORGE TOWN: Former Penang Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman Teng Chang Yeow was yesterday elected as the new chairman of Penang Gerakan, succeeding incumbent Datuk Dr Teng Hock Nan who declined to defend the post.

Teng, who is also former Gerakan secretary-general, polled 220 votes while his challenger, the party’s Legal and Human Rights Bureau head Baljit Singh Jigiri Singh obtained 106 votes.

The polls were held at the state Gerakan headquarters in Jalan Macalister here. The results were announced by Gerakan’s Elections Supervisory Committee chairman Tan Sri Dr Chin Fook Weng.

The election saw 328 delegates from 13 divisions and 198 branches casting their votes. There were two spoilt votes.

At a press conference afterwards, Teng said his mission would be to strengthen Gerakan so that it continued to remain relevant to the people in the state.

“I have been entrusted with the mandate and the work begins this very second,” said Teng, who is making a comeback to active politics after earlier having quit as state BN chairman.

He said his return to active politics was at the behest of friends and supporters who wanted him to helm Penang Gerakan in the interest of the people of Penang.

Meanwhile, Baljit Singh concurred with Teng that the party struggle came first.

“In this matter, it is not a question of who wins or loses, our duty and responsibility is the wellbeing of the people of Penang.

The election also saw six members picked to be committee members namely Datuk Ng Siew Lai (208 votes), Puvaniten A/L M Helan Govan (205), Lee Boon Ten (200), Tan Kah Leong (187), Teh Kheng Siong (156) and Dr Thor Teong Gee (148).

Besides this, five members were picked to be delegates at Gerakan’s national congress. They are Chan Kim Beng (279 votes), Tan Chee Heong (260), Ooi Ah Bee (253), A R Velu (240) and Tan Chuan Koon (235). — Bernama