Parti Gerakan Rakyat Malaysia
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Malaysian People's Movement Party
Parti Gerakan Rakyat Malaysia |
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| Leader | Koh Tsu Koon |
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| Founded | March 24, 1968 |
| Headquarters | Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia |
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| Ideology | Centrism, Liberalism |
| National affiliation | Barisan Nasional |
| International affiliation | Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats |
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| Website http://www.gerakan.org.my/ |
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The Parti Gerakan Rakyat Malaysia (Malaysian People's Movement Party or Gerakan in English) is a political party in Malaysia. The party was founded on March 24, 1968, and as of 2008, it is part of the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition.
The current leader of Gerakan is Tan Sri Dr. Koh Tsu Koon who holds the post of Acting President after the president Dr Lim Keng Yaik stepped down in April 8, 2007. It is believed that the party will hold a leadership election at the end of 2008.
As of 2006, about 80% of Gerakan's members are ethnic Chinese, another 15% are Indian, and the rest are Malays or other races.[1]
The party suffered its worst electoral defeat in the 2008 General Election, which saw the party retaining only two seats, compared to the 10 seats it had before the election. As a result, the party lost its only cabinet post in the ensuing cabinet shuffle.
The party is a member of the Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats.
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[edit] Party leadership elections
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On 27th August 2005, The party held its party election which saw the President position held by Dr Lim Keng Yaik being challenged by its Deputy, Kerk Choo Ting. Dr Lim retained his party President post after winning with 983 votes against 628 votes obtained by Kerk. Dr Koh Tsu Koon is the new Deputy President which he won unopposed after the nomination day for the party election.
[edit] Rejuvenation campaign
On May 25, 2008 after the dismal performance in the 12th general election, Gerakan launched a party rejuvenation campaign in its bid to rebound in mainstream politics and to regain people’s confidence. It has outlined three thrusts, namely to voice Gerakan’s ideology, policy position and advocate Malaysian solutions for various major issues, to rebuild, rebrand and re-empower the party at all levels, and to regain people’s confidence.
With the slogan, “Forward Together with One Heart” (Satu Hati Gerak Bersama), the campaign was mooted after a nationwide brainstorming and discussions with grassroot leaders two weeks ago, following its dismal performance in the March 8 general election.
The campaign will focus on eight strategies, namely:
1) To formulate and voice principled policy positions and solutions for major national issues;
2) To be constructive opposition in Pakatan Raykat-led states;
3) To pursue reforms of Barisan Nasional (BN) as an effective multi-racial coalition;
4) To effectively rebuild and revitalise the party, to forge smart partnership with society and NGOs;
5) To embark on membership expansion and consolidation;
6) To boost and train more leaders;
7) To re-energise and revamp the party at all levels;
8) To further improve communication and public relations strategies.
Party acting president Koh Tsu Koon said the party would be more proactive and vocal in raising issues concerning people of all races. He said Gerakan would also conduct more activities and gain a stronger foothold in states which it previously had low-key presence, like Perlis and Sabah.
[edit] Gerakan to take on a new image
Gerakan, which suffered major losses during the 12th general election, has launched a rebranding exercise in the hope of making it the party of choice for all Malaysians.
Acting president Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon, who launched the exercise during the party's 40th anniversary celebrations yesterday, said the rebranding would be based on three thrusts, which are:
- Voicing the party's ideology of advocating a Malaysian solution for issues;
- To rebuild, rebrand and re-empower the party at all levels to effectively serve and represent all Malaysians; and
- To win the people's hearts and mind to regain their support.
Koh said the party members have to consolidate, evaluate, motivate and rejuvenate the party in order to achieve the missions. He said the party would execute the plan via eight strategies. They include broad plans to expand and consolidate membership while rebuilding the party in Penang.
[edit] Milestone
End of March 2008, deputy secretary-general of Gerakan Datuk Lee Kah Choon had announced his resignation from all Gerakan posts, including as the deputy secretary-general and a member of the party’s two decision-making bodies, the Central Committee (CC) and the Central Working Committee (CWC), after its poor performance in the March 8 general election. Lee was also one of the speculated candidates to take over post of Chief Minister of the State of Penang before the 12th general election. The other two candidates were Datuk Dr Teng Hock Nan and Teng Chang Yeow.
On April 23, 2008, Lee accepted the appointment to posts in two Penang state government agencies as director of Penang Development Corporation PDC and InvestPenang, also executive committee chairman of InvestPenang. Later, Lee quits the party to complete his “total withdrawal” from politics and focusing on serving society as a citizen.
On May 29, 2008, The Federal Territory Gerakan chief and former Deputy Land and Cooperative Development Minister Datuk Dr Tan Kee Kwong became the second Gerakan leader to take up a post with an Opposition-led state government. Dr Tan was named as co-chairman of Selangor's special task force on land issues. Dr Tan said he joined politics to serve the people and country and the post provides him the chance to continue this work while Gerakan feels he has no value in terms of serving the party and the people.
[edit] Trivia
In November 2006, the President of another Barisan Nasional party, the People's Progressive Party (PPP), M. Kayveas, proposed a merger between Gerakan and the PPP. Koh welcomed the suggestion.[1]
[edit] List of Presidents
| Name | took office | left office |
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| Professor Syed Hussein Alatas | 1968 | 1969 |
| Tun Dr. Lim Chong Eu | 1969 | 1980 |
| Datuk Seri Dr. Lim Keng Yaik | 1980 | April 8, 2007 |
| Tan Sri Dr. Koh Tsu Koon (acting) | April 8, 2007 | Incumbent |
[edit] Notes and references
- ^ a b Suthakar, K. (Nov. 20, 2006). PPP offers Gerakan merger. The Star.
[edit] Other references
- Chin, James (2006) New Chinese Leadership in Malaysia: The Contest for the MCA and Gerakan Presidency Contemporary Southeast Asia (CSEA), Vol. 28, No. 1 (April 2006).
- Goh, Cheng Teik (1994). Malaysia: Beyond Communal Politics. Pelanduk Publications. ISBN 967-978-475-4.
- Pillai, M.G.G. (Nov. 3, 2005). "National Front parties were not formed to fight for Malaysian independence". Malaysia Today.
[edit] External links
- Parti Gerakan Rakyat Malaysia official site
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