20. Gerakan Without Conscience

by Jeff Ooi in Screenshots

Dr Toh Kin Woon, regarded as the Conscience of Parti Gerakan, has quit his party.

Toh, a Gerakan central committee member and a former state Exco in Penang, submitted his resignation letter to the party today.

He made the announcement barely 24 hours after he voiced his support, on a personal capacity, for Anwar Ibrahim who is contesting in the Permatang Pauh by-election.

Toh gave no details except to say that he decided to quit Gerakan to concentrate on his NGO work, particularly in the field of Chinese education and with reform movement Aliran.

Sin Chew Daily today scooped with the news that Toh's withdrawal from Gerakan was imminent.

Interestingly,with the looming party election in October after a disastrous GE2008 under the leadership of acting party president Dr Koh Tsu Koon, the timing of his pullout from Gerakan has raised many questions.

Last week, Toh was given a "friendly reminder" by the party's secretary-general after he attended Anwar's ceramah a day before the nomination for the by-election.

He obviously defied the order and was again seen visiting the PKR election operation centre in Permatang Pauh yesterday.

During the visit, Toh expressed his support for Anwar and was confident that Anwar's return to the Parliament could help strengthen democracy. Quote Malaysiakini:

"I am not speaking for my party, I am speaking for myself as an individual - I do support Anwar Ibrahim in this by-election. I am not actually supporting him too much as an individual but more on the movement that he leads.

"I feel if Anwar (is elected to) Parliament, the voices of the opposition will be stronger and the chances of strengthening the democracy and widening the democratic space will be better. For these reason, I support him," said the academician-turned-politician.

Expressly, Toh vocalised that he was not supporting Anwar-led PKR as a party, but the movement and the cause which Anwar has been fighting for.

However, Toh said he faced no pressure in his decision to resign from the party.

"By freeing myself from any political parties, I will be able to express myself more freely and not embarrass the party, should my views be different from theirs," he told Malaysiakini.

Toh also categorically denied that he would be joining any political party.

The English-educated Toh was a recipient of the Spirit of Lin Lian Yu Award, a paramount recognition reserved strictly for select advocates of Chinese education in Malaysia.

Yesterday, Gerakan Wanita chief Tan Lian Hoe and over 80% of the delegates to the Perak Gerakan AGM wanted the party to pull out from Barisan Nasional because "Umno leaders are still adopting a political culture that garners support from only the Malay community even after the GE2008".

'Tsu Koon facing hurdles in party election'

Meanwhile, sources among Gerakan insiders told Screenshots that there is an under-current to deny Tsu Koon from being elected into the post during the up-coming party AGM.

It was said that Tsu Koon faces mounting resentment among party leaders and grassroots for leading Gerakan into near annihilation during GE2008, and is now leaning towards Umno for his political survival.

A possible contender for the post of Gerakan presidency is Mah Siew Keong, currently the party's youth chief. He is said to have garnered the support of retired president, Dr Lim Keng Yaik.