Gerakan man calls for president Lau’s ouster

(Malaysiakini) – Former Penang Gerakan acting youth chief Jason Loo has called for party president Dominic Lau to be replaced, claiming the latter has both shamed and “ruined” the party.

In a scathing open letter to Gerakan central candidates posted on Facebook, Loo criticised Lau’s (photo, above) political acumen and alleged craze for publicity.

The Gerakan Muntri Street Branch chairperson also said these led to Lau wasting time needed to revive the party.

“Change the president now or Gerakan will be a museum piece forever.

“Stop his publicity craze now as he had brought shame to the party publicly.

“He has no political acumen. He has no political direction. He has no political judgement. He has no plan. He has no strategy. He has no idea,” Loo said.

“He wasted much of the time needed for Gerakan’s revival. We must not waste our time on him,” he added.

Speaking to the News Straits Times, Loo described Lau as an “opportunist” looking to curry favours from current leaders.

“In recent months, he was seen as an opportunist by trying to court the favour of former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad by inviting him as guest-of-honour at Gerakan’s Chinese New Year Open House, declaring support for Anwar Ibrahim in the Port Dickson by-election, offering Mohamed Azmin Ali a place in Gerakan during the ‘Sheraton Move’ and the latest, declaring support for Muhyiddin Yassin as prime minister.

“One cannot stoop so low in politics, but Lau did it.

“[…]The current leadership has failed to live up to Gerakan’s founding expectations. They are just pursuing self-interest,” he reportedly said.

Instead, the latter described the party’s former leaders – Syed Hussain Alatas, Lim Chong Eu and Lim Keng Yaik – as visionaries and reformists.

Lau took over the presidency in November 2018 after the party was completely wiped out of the 14th general election and left the BN coalition.

Following the latest change in government this year, the party, under Lau’s leadership, has however announced its support for the new leadership of Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin.

Muhyiddin currently helms the Perikatan Nasional government, which also comprises BN component parties.

Lau had also pointed out that Gerakan did not rule out the possibility of collaboration with other political parties “in the interest of the rakyat”.