MALACCA: Unhappy with the present situation in Gerakan, 1,340 members from 12 of the state's 52 branches are quitting the party.
This was announced by the party's Pengkalan Rama Pantai branch chairman Yong Lang Yeow, 57, and Malim Jaya branch chairman, Wan Cho You, 61, at a press conference here yesterday where they also said they had resigned from Gerakan.
Besides their two branches, Wan said the other members were from the Sungai Baru Tengah, Sungai Udang Barat, Pekan Masjid Tanah, Tangga Batu, Paya Rumput, Pulau Sebang, Peringgit Jaya, Bertam, Bukit Piatu and Krubong branches.
They also said that the 12 branches would be dissolved, with the members effectively leaving the party today.
They claimed that they were left with no other choice after being let down by the state party leaders who practised cronyism and had failed to uphold the democratic process of appointments within the party.
Yong, who was appointed state chairman in 2005, said he was replaced by Ng Lip Yong, the former international trade and industry deputy minister, after only seven months in the post.
He claimed that Ng was brought in from Gerakan headquarters to settle dissent within the party in the state and was to vacate the position to him (Yong) after resolving the problem but had yet to do so.
"The party was split into two camps. Ng was to have acted as mediator to resolve the problems but instead he has made it worse. In fact, we felt marginalised as he started showing favouritism."
He claimed Ng appointed Goh Sin Look as state party acting communication secretary and together they selected certain members to contest in the recent general election, overlooking the more qualified and better suited branch members.
Wan said the mass resignation was just a start as more members from the other 40 branches would follow suit.
Wan, who was suspended by the party last month, said no reason was given for the suspension but believed it was because the party leaders felt the Malim Jaya branch did not give their full support to the party's candidate, Wendy Ngo Kim Hwa, for the Bachang state seat in the election.
Asked if the soon-to-be ex-members would join another party, Yong said that while they were unhappy with Gerakan, they still supported the Barisan Nasional, the state government and the federal government.
He suggested that BN have a direct membership option for those who were not interested in being members of the component parties.
Meanwhile, Ng said he was not aware of the decision by more than 1,000 members to leave the party.
"I will have to see it to believe it. People move in and out of the party all the time, if they leave there will always be others to take their place."
Ng said the party had never stopped anyone interested from contesting in elections and that if some members could not follow the party line, they were always free to leave.
On claims that Gerakan was no longer relevant here, Ng said that when a party faced challenges, many people gave up.
Danutcha Chelliah
NST Online
09/06/08
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