Datuk Dominic Lau is the new Gerakan president, deputy president was won by Oh Tong Keong

Lau is new Gerakan president

Veena Babulal and Nor Afzan Mohamad Yusof
New Straits Times17 November 2018



KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Dominic Lau is the new Gerakan president.

He beat his opponent Andy Yong by securing 729 votes, while his challenger managed 445 votes in the party’s elections.

Lau was Gerakan’s former vice-president while Yong was formerly its Youth deputy chief.

The post of deputy president was won by Oh Tong Keong, who secured 845 votes, sweeping aside his opponent Datuk A. Kohilan Pillay, who managed to obtain 328 votes.

Kohilan was formerly the party’s vice-president.

The party’s four new vice-presidents are Baljit Singh, Choong Vee Hing, Khoo Shiaw Lee and Yap Yeen Min. They edged out G. Parameswaran; Syed Abdul Razak Syed Long; V. Prabagaran and Raja Sara Raja Petra.

Raja Sara is the daughter of United Kingdom-based political blogger Raja Petra Kamaruddin.

The results were announced by Gerakan secretary Datuk Yap Kea Ping.

Lau, speaking to reporters, said he is targeting a return to Parliament. This, he said, will be done by strengthening the grassroots and developing new leaders.

He said he aimed to restore the glory days of Gerakan.

“We did not win any seats in the last election. But with this new leadership, we are ready.

“I wish to remind our members not to worry; this is not the first time we are standing alone and being the opposition,” he said.

Lau also thanked former president Datuk Seri Dr Mah Siew Keong for his efforts in strengthening the party.

Meanwhile, the new Gerakan Youth chief is Ooi Zhi Yi, who won after his opponent Chew Teik Thye dropped out of the race several days ago.

His deputy is Pang Whye Nam, while the three vice chiefs in the Youth wing are Inderjit Singh, Chan Chee How and Yap Hong Ting.

Meanwhile, all 23 candidates vying for a spot in the Wanita Gerakan central committee won without contest during nomination last week.

Janice Wong is now the women's wing chief while her deputy is the 30-year-old Raja Sara.

The three Wanita Gerakan vice-chiefs are Soh Hoon Lee, Ooi Pei Nar and Yong Fui Ling.

This is Gerakan’s first party polls following its defeat in the 14th general election.

The party is now going it alone after leaving the Barisan Nasional coalition in June. Its departure from BN appeared to signal its return to the opposition since it joined the coalition in 1972.

Gerakan, however, has steered away from being labeled as an opposition party and prefers to be referred to as an independent political party. © New Straits Times