Kuala Lumpur, Oct 28 – Newly elected Gerakan president Datuk Mah Siew Keong has vowed to make Gerakan a stronger party at the end of his first term in 2016.
He said he planned to implement several changes for the party and urged other leaders and party members to give him their full support.
“Have trust in me. You (delegates) have already elected me as the new president. So now give the time and support for me to improve the party.
“I know when I implement new things later, many people would not be happy with me. But please don’t be judgemental. Do not see how I start (as party president), but see how I finish (my job) at the end of the first term,” he said.
He said this in his maiden speech as party president when winding up his speech at the end of party’s 42nd National Delegates’ Conferene at Menara PGRM here,yesterday.
Mah said Gerakan had a bright future ahead and reminded its members that the party would stay relevant in the current political landscape.
In voicing his confidence in Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak’s leadership, he hoped Najib would intensify the 1Malaysia concept to all walks of life.
“Before the 13th general election, the 1Malaysia spirit was very strong but subsequently, I notice it has slowed down a bit. We have started the campaign, so we cannot retreat bow.
“I hope we will continue this campaign for all Malaysians,” he said. Speaking at a news conference later, Mah said although the majority of the new party line-up were new faces, the old guards would not be neglected.
“These new faces will be the continuation of the old faces. It does not mean the old faces will be out of the picture. The old faces will still support from behind,” he said.
To a question whether Gerakan will leave Barisan Nasional (BN) as called for by many of the delegates, Mah stressed that it would not as this was not the stand of the majority in the party.
“Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak is still the best leader and we support him,” he said, adding that there was a tendency for disagrements between members of the coalition and that this would only make the family stronger.
He said, however, Gerakan wished to play a bigger role in BN. Meanwhile, former acting president Datuk Chang Ko Youn, who was also present at the news conference expressed his full confidence in the leadership of Mah and his team.
“The new committee comprised young Gerakan members, professionals, grassroot workers and political activists. This kind of combination can handle the party well especially when so many issues were faced by Gerakan for the past few months after the 13th General Election,” he said.
On another matter, he said he would not retire from politics as yet and would continue to work for the party in his division in Beruas, Perak.
On a question whether he would take up any post in the party, he said he would leave it to the party leadership to decide.
– Bernama
