Gerakan to discuss merger proposal after MCA, SUPP polls, AGM

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KUALA LUMPUR: Gerakan will discuss the proposal for the party to merge with MCA and the Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) after the two latter parties are done with their respective party elections and annual general meeting (AGM).

Gerakan president Datuk Mah Siew Keong said he was in favour of the merger to strengthen Barisan Nasional (BN) in an effort to restore the people’s confidence in the coalition.

“Both MCA and SUPP have not finished with their respective party elections and AGM. So, let them settle all the elections and AGM first, then we will discuss it,” he told reporters after attending a Deepavali Open House at the Rakan Muda Complex in Puchong near here yesterday.

Also present were Gerakan vice-presidents, A. Kohilan Pillay and Datuk Dr Asharuddin Ahmad, and its Wanita leader Datuk Tan Lian Hoe.

Mah said Gerakan wanted to enhance cooperation among all BN component parties to make the coalition stronger.

“We have to strengthen relations among BN component parties first and I believe, it will be a good start,” he added.

Mah said party members should not give up in their efforts to serve the people, despite their dismal performance in the 13th general election.

He said Gerakan would study weaknesses in the party and would work to rectify them to make it stronger.

He said the party’s dismal performance in the last general election, during which it won only one parliamentary seat and three state seats, should be a lesson for all members.

“Use the analogy of a ship. Of course, there are some holes in the ship, so we are now trying to repair the holes. Hopefully, we will put in a new and better engine.

“As the captain of the ship, I take full responsibility to continue to identify the weaknesses and to strengthen the party through various transformation programmes,” he added.

He said the party’s transformation programme would be announced after the party’s Central Committee meeting on Nov 23. — Bernama