GEORGE TOWN, Sept 9- The contest for the post of Penang Gerakan chairman at the party polls on Sept 15 will see a straight fight between former Penang Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman Teng Chang Yeow and Penang Gerakan Legal and Human Rights Bureau chief Baljit Singh.
The nomination for the posts of Penang Gerakan chairman, six state committee members and five national representatives, took place at Gerakan headquarters, Jalan Macalister in George Town, Sunday.
Fourteen individuals submitted their candidacies for the six state commitee seats, namely Dr Lim Boon Ben, Goh Kheng Sneah, Dr Thor Teong Gee, Tan Kah Leong, Ng Siew Lai, M.H Puvaniten, Sim Song Goun, Lee Boon Ten, Teh Kheng Siong, Heah Theng Hwang, Teoh Hang Chong, Choo Chin Nam, H’ng Khoon Leng and Yew Khean Siang.
Eight other individuals submitted their candidacies to become the five Penang Gerakan representatives at the national-level assembly delegates assembly scheduled for Oct 26.
They are Dr Teng Hock Nan, Ooi Ah Bee, A.R Velu, Tan Chuan Koon, Chan Kim Beng, Tan Chee Heong, Tian@Thain Hang Wei and Chuah Seong Lee.
Speaking to reporters after the nomination, Teng said his decision to contest the chairman post was because he wanted to rebuild and rehabilitate the party in a bid to restore the people’s faith in Gerakan.
“That is my main task after evaluating the requests from most of the divisions and grassroot members who have expressed their support for me over the past few months and asked me to make a comeback to the party hierarchy, to lead the party,” he said.
When asked about his opponent, Baljit Singh, Teng said it was not the personality, but more on the job done by the winner of the contest that would really matter.
“I don’t care who wins, what matters is that the responsibility to strengthen the party must be done together, regardless of one’s opinion,” he said.
On May 5, Teng announced his resignation from all party posts and the post of Penang BN chairman following the dismal performance of the party in the state in the 13th general election.
Meanwhile, in UMNO, Lenggong MP Datuk Shamsul Anuar Nasarah has joined the fray for a Supreme Council (MT) seat at the party’s polls in October.
“I arrived at the decision to contest for an MT seat after getting the blessings of Perak UMNO chief and Perak Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir and the state UMNO leadership,” he told reporters when met at the Lenggong parliamentary constituency Aidilfitri open house in Lenggong.
Shamsul is also the chairman of the National Higher Education Fund Corporation (PTPTN).
-BERNAMA
