KUALA LUMPUR: In an unexpected move, former Gerakan president Tun Dr Lim Keng Yaik yesterday quit as party advisor, citing unhappiness over the leadership of Gerakan president Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon.
Dr Lim, who relinguished his position as Gerakan president in April 2007, said he was unhappy that Dr Koh, who succeeded him as party president, did not take a proactive approach in resolving many issues affecting the party, despite being advised on many occassions.
“Where is the party going? Maybe, my resignation will shake him up. His attitude of ‘speak evil, no speak evil’ has brought this problem in Gerakan. His attitude is akin to an ostrich burying its head in the ground.
“A (party) president has to take responsibilities to solve problems. What is the point of giving advice if the person does not want to listen,” he told reporters here.
Dr Lim said he had make up his mind to quit the party advisor’s position after Dr Koh said he would not attend the Penang Gerakan Extraordinary General Meeting, and did not take any action to solve the party’s leadership tussle in Penang.
“The last straw which broke the camel’s back was, when I read in the newspapers that he would attend the MCA AGM (Annual General Meeting) on Oct 10, instead of solving the Penang Gerakan EGM issue.
“Where is the priority? When I was party president, I had even delegated my deputy to attend a Barisan Nasional component party AGM before…why can’t he do the same?,” asked Dr Lim.
He said this when asked about the Penang Gerakan’s EGM on Oct 10, after the problem was started by a few disgruntled members in Penang.
Lim said it saddened him as he had been a member of Gerakan for the past 36 years.
“It is the cause of the chaos in the party.
“There are one or two national leaders assessing the situation…they might be testing the waters,” he told a press conference after chairing the Wawasan Open University’s Inaugural Convocation Ceremony at Menara PGRM here yesterday.
The Wawasan Open University Council chairman also said he had been watching the developments but was not happy with it.
“Politicians are not supposed to be afraid to face somebody if it’s true. How come a president failed to attend the EGM? I blame it on the president.
“Why would I want to be an advisor then?,” he asked.
Earlier, some Penang Gerakan members called the EGM to seek the ouster of Penang Gerakan chief Datuk Dr Teng Hock Nam. — Bernama