Whither Gerakan when Koh takes the reins?
New Straits Times (Columns)
09 Sep 2006
Chow Kum Hor

The countdown to Datuk Seri Dr Lim Keng Yaik’s retirement as Gerakan president has begun. CHOW KUM HOR asks leaders what the party will look like without Lim.

AFTER the Press conference at the end of last weekend’s Gerakan national delegates’ conference, president Datuk Seri Dr Lim Keng Yaik remarked that next year’s assembly would not be as colourful.

Lim was of course referring to his absence from next year’s assembly owing to his retirement on April 8. But he was also alluding to his successor Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon’s staid personality. Seated beside Lim, Penang Chief Minister Koh retorted: "How do you know?"

For Gerakan, speculation has already begun about how the party would look like after Lim, and this goes beyond whether the party’s annual meetings will be more colourful or less.

Certainly Koh is no match for Lim in holding the floor. No party leader comes close to Lim’s flair in delivering witty one-liners, thoughtful anecdotes or even throwing in the occasional sexist joke.

Can Koh fill the large shoes of Lim, who has led the party for 26 years?

Although relatively small, the party has always relied on strongmen like Keng Yaik and Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu to punch above its weight. For all intents and purposes, the soft-spoken Koh is perceived as overly accommodative and consultative.

The perception of Koh as being soft and indecisive is largely attributed to his leadership in Penang, a State he has led for the past 16 years, says former Gerakan-linked think-tanker Ong Kian Ming.

A party insider says one example was how Koh, under vicious attack by some Penang Umno leaders recently, appeared conciliatory instead of striking back from the podium.

But the party’s central committee (CC) largely believes that beneath the facade of a soft- spoken "Mr Nice Guy" lies a man of steely resolve.

Secretary-general Datuk Seri Chia Kwang Chye, who served as Koh’s special assistant between 1990 and 1995, says Koh’s consultative ways have been misunderstood as a sign of weakness.

"He has stood firm in rejecting some Umno leaders’ requests for projects in the State. That’s why you see some opposition from Penang Umno today," he says.

Chia believes Koh will continue with his consultative style of leadership, in line with expectations from younger members.

Lim has also built a strong foundation for the party. His team set up headquarters at the national level and in nearly all the States. Rentals from these buildings have helped make the party financially stable. Membership also increased from about 10,000 when Lim took over to around 250,000 now.

"When he takes over, Koh can focus on promoting Bangsa Malaysia and groom more leaders," central committee member Chua Chong An says. Koh is also expected to continue addressing issues such as access to education and expanding the economic pie.

Another priority, Chua says, is for Gerakan to continue playing its role as the "conscience of Barisan Nasional". For example, its Machang Bubuk assemblyman Datuk Dr Toh Kin Woon has called for the abolition of the Internal Security Act, making him the only elected representative from BN ever to make such a demand.

While the transfer of power to president-designate Koh next April is as good as a done deal, questions remain about vacancies in the party and Government following Koh’s elevation.

The focus will be the party’s crown jewel: the Penang chief minister’s post. Koh is likely to leave Penang for the federal capital after the next general election.

The frontrunners to fill the post are Bukit Bendera MP Chia and Penang executive councillor Datuk Dr Teng Hock Nan.

A non-Penang leader is more likely to fill the deputy president’s post. The talk is that vice-president Datuk Chang Ko Youn, Youth chief Datuk Mah Siew Keong (both from Perak) and CC member Ng Lip Yong (from the Federal Territory) are in the running.

"Since Keng Yaik has agreed to hold on to his ministerial post until after the next general election, Koh still has time to make his choice, not only on the CM’s post but also reach a consensus on who will take over as deputy president. There won’t be any power struggle for the time being," a CC member says.

But another nagging question is whether Lim, who commands enormous influence in the party, will call the shots from behind the scenes after retirement.

Officially, he is expected to be made deputy adviser (the current adviser is Chong Eu). Lim is also chairman of the Gerakan-run Wawasan Open University, which will open its doors next year, and will be active in the forthcoming National Dialogue Initiative, a centre where "sensitive" issues are discussed behind closed doors.

"He trusts Tsu Koon to do the job. I believe Keng Yaik will advise but not impose his views," says Chua.

A Selangor leader says Lim will still have clout as he has indirect control over party coffers.

Treasurer-general Datuk Ng Chiang Chin is his trusted aide from Kelantan while the deputy is Datuk Lim Kheng Guan, Lim’s brother.

It is only when issues come to a head — such as the succession in Penang — that Lim will be forced to interfere, the source says.

With the departure of Gerakan’s longest-serving president, it is time the party looks into enlarging its second-echelon leadership.

"There’s no young public face to Gerakan after Tsu Koon," says Ong.

At present, the same names keep cropping up whenever the party talks about Gerakan’s future leaders: Chia, Mah, Ng, and of late, Lim’s son Si Pin.

Ong blames the phenomenon on Gerakan’s small representation in Government, whether as wakil rakyat, ministers, deputy ministers or parliamentary secretaries.

Given the worldwide phenomenon of youth shunning politics, vice-president Datuk Dr S. Vijayaratnam, also the Plantation Industries and Commodities Ministry parliamentary secretary, admits drawing them is an uphill task.

"New leaders will come but the party will still hold on to its struggles. Similarly, I don’t think there will be much change when Koh takes over — at least not immediately."