(Bernama) -- The emergence of two multi-party coalitions resulting from the March 8 general election is good for the country as it paves the way for good governance.

Gerakan acting president Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon said this Friday night when addressing some 200 people at the party's "White Coffee Talk" at its Selangor headquarters here.

He said the people had made their choice and there should not be any sabotage to the governments run by Pakatan Rakyat (People's Alliance).

"It is more healthy and we (Barisan Nasional - BN) can do better then. That's why we opposed the move to sabotage the ruling Pakatan Rakyat Perak government which only won majority by three seats compared to BN.

"I must say that BN is not afraid of competition. Let them (Pakatan Rakyat) govern and prove themselves in the five states they won. I challenge them to do so. At the same time we must prove that we will also perform as a good opposition in the states," he said.

Dr Koh said that in the meantime, BN should go back to the basics and refer to the BN constitution that now was drifted away by Umno dominance and strong man politics.

"It's good that (this leader) had Vision 2020, the Multimedia Super Corridor but the negative side is that it ended up as strong man politics," he said.

On Gerakan, he said the party had contributed so much as well as making impacts, good will, well respected and had good track record and experience since its inception in 1968 but was perceived as weak and timid.

He said that therefore, Gerakan should move forward to be more people-friendly and policy-oriented and at the same time instil and articulate more clearly the party's stand on issues and its ideologies.

"Gerakan is there for the future. With winning only two parliamentary seats and four state seats, we're down but not out. At this point of time we consider the problems faced as challenging but this would distinguish man from boys," he said.

He said Gerakan would push for effectiveness within BN and the federal government.

On reforms initiated by the government in the judiciary, the move to make the Anti-Corruption Agency independent and amend the Internal Security Act and media freedom, he said there were some improvements but still slow.

Comments (25)

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written by Godflesh, June 21, 2008 | 09:44:44

Oi tukun - crawl into some hole and die quietly. Don't tell the rakyat something they already know.

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written by Hakim Joe, June 21, 2008 | 09:50:33

Clean up your own party first before trying to look good. It is not your decision to derail PR and what ever made you dream that you are capable of sabotaging the PR Perak Gomen? You wanna play Fed politics because you are never going to wrestle Penang back? What's with Perak anyway? I thought you were more interested in Penang?

Gerakan respected? Who gave you that idea? Hello....wake up. Gerakan is there for the future (as a minor opposition party). Two parliamentary and four state seats this time around. Probably zero parliamentary seats and zero state seats the next time. Great ambitions!!!

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written by SeriousLy, June 21, 2008 | 10:03:37

All racist party should be banned! UMNO, PAS, MCA, MIC, PBDS, PBB, KIMMA, PASOK, UPKO & all parties that specify a race in the name should be de-registered before a two party system is formed!

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written by onnetline, June 21, 2008 | 10:11:11

Mr Koh,

What are talking about? You really think that the UMNO henchmen truly bothers with what you're saying or hinting?

It's about time to ship out, like the SAPP ! Quite sure, there's still room in PR for your true spirit to help the 'rakyat'.

If not, please keep the comments to yourself.

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written by Rhan, June 21, 2008 | 10:15:52

Koh, keep up the good spirit. The rakyat will support whoever that is clean and willing to voice up for us.

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written by onnetline, June 21, 2008 | 10:17:47

By the way, Mr Koh, I'm sure that the UMNO goons are looking at Gerakan like ' a thorn in their flesh ' or rather a failure since our recent election !

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written by vajra, June 21, 2008 | 10:22:33

yeah tsu koon ah tsu koon...you have been a "boy" to umno for too long, I wonder if you still have the guts to be a "man" now ?

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written by vajra, June 21, 2008 | 10:23:54

go barking inside not outside!!!

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written by temenggong, June 21, 2008 | 11:02:16

There may be a two party system emerging but Gerakan won't be a part of it. In the eyes of the people, Gerakan is dead! The name must disappear.

A two party system may emerge but it won't involve umno in either of them. Umno will probably split with two or three factions emerging as separate parties. In any case umno will be confined to Pahang, Johor and Sarawak, with a few other seats here and there!

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written by YSL, June 21, 2008 | 12:28:29

Koh,

don't follow others, don't copy others, don't repeat what others are doing or saying! don't mention what had already been someone's achievements!

You are historian now because you repeat others' actions!

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written by gx27, June 21, 2008 | 12:45:15

boring!! just trying to gain some cheap publicity!

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written by ganbing, June 21, 2008 | 13:50:46

If you have good intentions, get the hell out of BN. Umno dictates policies in BN, do you goons think you can change Umno? It may be easier to move a mountain. Gerakan joined BN vowing to be the conscience of BN but was corrupted by BN. Even now, it has to dance to Umno's tune. When Najib said, "discipline your members," they shout "Yes Sir!" and rush to issue show cause letters.

And BTW, Koh Tsu Koon was a CM without power. On whose orders did you convert the Penang turf club and for commercial use Mr Koh?

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written by kclim, June 21, 2008 | 13:51:49

Well said Dr Koh. Now just follow the logical conclusion and do a "SAPP" i.e first search the soul of your once great party and then subsequently leave BN. You will soon realise that Gerakan does indeed have a contribution for future generations. Why not go independent ? Better still why not join up with PR ? After the fiasco with BN you must now steer away from murky waters if you and your party truly believe in democracy and still wish to be relevant in the struggle to exist under the Malaysian sun.

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written by amoker, June 21, 2008 | 14:01:52

No matter how much people want to talk about Dr Koh, he is the most pragmatic and level headed of all the current BN leaders. The better of the lots. No wonder LGE is tapping into Gerakan. Its about competency.

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written by shangrilapeace, June 21, 2008 | 14:41:02

The people in Malaysia, especially Penang had given you a chance before
but you did not perform to our expectations. My advice is for you to do a "thesis" (it's over 100 days now) yourself, find out what's wrong &
why you or Gerakan had failed us.
Having done that, your speech will be more acceptable.

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written by angkasawan bocor, June 21, 2008 | 15:13:00

He said the people had made their choice and there should not be any sabotage to the governments run by Pakatan Rakyat (People's Alliance).

"It is more healthy and we (Barisan Nasional - BN) can do better then. That's why we opposed the move to sabotage the ruling Pakatan Rakyat Perak government which only won majority by three seats compared to BN.

BN does not want to sabotage or because they are afraid that the rakyat will throw them into the dust bin in the next GE?

Dr Koh said that in the meantime, BN should go back to the basics and refer to the BN constitution that now was drifted away by Umno dominance and strong man politics.

Why only now you say this? The DAP has voiced this out long time ago. That's why they won the Penang state.

He said that therefore, Gerakan should move forward to be more people-friendly and policy-oriented and at the same time instil and articulate more clearly the party's stand on issues and its ideologies.

Don't waste time lah. If Gerakan can do that, it will have done that for the past 40 years. It is better now for Gerakan to leave BN and become independent or join PR.

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written by Zapper, June 21, 2008 | 15:13:02

Gerakan should join Pakatan to lead the country for future generation of malaysians. This is the most honorable thing to do. Forget about the name callings by UMNO..they are nothing.

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written by miwaki, June 21, 2008 | 15:13:21

Tsu Koon is a novice as far as politics is concerned,he is a nice guy likes Pak lah but incompetent.Penangites supported Gerakan for so many years not because BN is fantastic but because we thought Tsu Koon could bring about changes to the people of Penang.Look at Penang island today,it is as good as Penang in the 50s minus the popularity !

We have enough of BN rule and we promise Tsu Koon we would like to be ruled by Pakatan Rakyat under the leadership of Guan Eng for another 50 years and beyond.You have made a mistake of setting a low standard in Penang for Pakatan Rakyat to achieve and Guan Eng will outperform your achievements not because he is capable but due to your lower than average achievements.

You reap what you sow my friend !

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written by lakshy, June 21, 2008 | 15:32:52

KTK must be playing both sides now. IF PR gets stronger, he may throw his suuport behind them. True politician.

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written by Anak Desa, June 21, 2008 | 18:33:42

Koh is a weak leader with no guts to speak before PRU 12th and suddenly seems to found or discover himself.Keng Yaik made the greatest blunder in his political life to hand pick him over others.Bloody hell.....talks a lot and have a lot of skeletons in his closet.

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written by gx27, June 21, 2008 | 18:55:44

LGE achieved more in 100 days than KTK's entire tenure as Penang CM

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written by greenarrow, June 21, 2008 | 19:34:26

Your Father born you as an 'OPPOSITION HERO'..

and you ended up as a 'TOE LICKER'..licking & sucking UMNO s Big sweet Toes !!!

GERAKAN ...the PEOPLe dont want you anymore LAhhhh...dont waste your time & dont waste our time

-GreenArrow

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written by tommycol, June 21, 2008 | 21:59:13

Now this is what we call; TWO HEADED 'BEGGAR' SNAKE.
Even the road sweepers and toilet cleaners( no offence ) KNOWS THAT so don't have to be a HYPOCRITE here.

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written by tryme, June 21, 2008 | 22:32:04

Mr Koh,
Previously i respect you, but now im shame on you. As a party leader, you should voice up to the UMNO when they had wrong, and should not keep quiet and allow them become worst and worst. You should fight for the Rakyat, where is the original spirit of GERAKAN? you should not encourage the UMNO become more corruption. If you really think of the people, you should lead your party and leave the corrupted BN and back to the time as 1969 where the party win on the seat of election and penang.
What have GERAKAN get in the BN? Please dont blindly follow the corrupted BN leader, flip and flop decision, and even worst policy will come out. Are they all the members of GERAKAN also wishing to be corrupted as the other party of BN? if Not, think about leaving. Malaysia will become worst if further govern by UMNO. Nowaday UMNO is different from the previous UMNO in 1960, who really fight for the people, mostly now joining to UMNO are looking for profit, contract and corruption. Too many of them and you cant corrected it, unless as incident in Iran, all corrupted officer are punish by a bullet on their head.

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written by hiro, June 22, 2008 | 01:20:32

Somehow when KTK says it, it lacks a certain oomph. I guess it's because he's had so long to say it but he's always toed the (UMNO) party line that what he's saying now is after thought. It's really worth very little especially after LGE has dug out a lot of hanky panky within Penang state administration, and the association KTK's wife was running.

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