Suspended Gerakan VP quits party

KUALA LUMPUR: Barisan Nasional has lost Gerakan vice president Huan Cheng Guan to newly formed Parti Cinta Malaysia.

Huan (picture) told a press conference at Parliament this morning that he no longer had faith in the leadership of Gerakan president Koh Tsu Koon.

“So I am quiting Gerakan not only as its vice president but from the party and joining Parti Cinta Malaysia,” said Huan, who was suspended for three years for being critical of the Gerakan leadership.

He said he made the decision because Gerakan leaders refused to withdraw the suspension.

Last week, Huan told the party leadership he would join another party if the suspension was not lifted within two weeks.

Huan said he could not see why Gerakan could not lift his suspension if Umno could lift the suspension of its former Bukit Bendera chief, Ahmad Ismail.

Huan was suspended on June 29, exactly a month after he threatened to quit Gerakan over party leaders’ refusal to learn from the loss of Penang to Pakatan Rakyat.

On Dec 4, the Umno supreme council lifted Ahmad’s three-year suspension, imposed in September last year.

When Huan was suspended, many branch and division leaders threatened to leave Gerakan. Political observers believe large numbers of them will join DAP or PKR.

Branch leaders from Kubang Ulu, Penanti, Sungai Lembu, Telok Wang, Seberang Jaya and Samagagah were among hundreds who have said they would follow Huan out of Gerakan.

FMT
16/12/09

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