Gerakan eyeing third vote for Penang comeback

> Party confident it will fare well in local council elections

GEORGE TOWN: Gerakan is eyeing the proposed local government elections to make a comeback in Penang.

After being decimated in the 14th general election, Gerakan, which has pulled out from Barisan Nasional (BN), aims to return to its glory days when the state was under the leadership of Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu and Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon.

Party president Datuk Seri Mah Siew Keong said he is confident Gerakan will fare well in the local government polls scheduled in two years due to its service-oriented representatives.

Mah said he has faith in his party members to bring changes and ensure Gerakan rises up from the ashes.

“The next general election is still almost five years away, so I think it is better we focus on the local government polls first,” he said in a press conference after opening the state delegates’ conference yesterday.

On another matter, Mah also gave the thumbs-up for the Cabinet’s decision to lower the voting age from 21 to 18.

“We don’t disagree with them all the time as this is a good move by the government.”

The former Teluk Intan MP said the most important task right now was to rebuild the party internally over the next six months.

One of the proposals being considered is to limit its division leaders’ term to three years.

“We will put the proposal into a resolution in the upcoming national delegates conference on Nov 17,” he added.

Meanwhile, Oh Tong Keong, who replaced Teng Chang Yeow as state Gerakan chief, said the party is working to attract the younger generation to join the party.

“We have plans ahead as we will be engaging with them and also organise dialogues with non-governmental organisations and some youth associations,” he added.