GERAKAN tampil 60 peratus calon baharu

KUALA LUMPUR: Percaturan politik GERAKAN bagi berdepan Pilihan Raya Umum Ke-14 (PRU-14) bakal menyaksikan hampir 60 peratus muka baharu calon parti itu dipertandingkan.

Presidennya, Datuk Seri Mah Siew Keong, turut optimis parti akan memberi prestasi lebih baik dalam misi merebut kerusi Dewan Undangan Negeri (DUN) Pulau Pinang, berbanding PRU-13.

Sehubungan itu, katanya, senarai calon GERAKAN yang bakal diketengahkan pada PRU-14 sudah diberikan kepada Pengerusi Barisan Nasional (BN), Datuk Seri Najib Razak, untuk pertimbangan lanjut.

"Di Pulau Pinang, kita jangkakan parti berupaya mengambil bahagian di DUN, berbanding keputusan yang memperlihatkan GERAKAN gagal memenangi sebarang kerusi pada PRU-13.

"Kita yakin prestasi GERAKAN pada PRU-14 akan lebih baik, sekali gus membantu kemenangan menyeluruh BN untuk membentuk kerajaan," katanya pada sidang media selepas penangguhan Persidangan Perwakilan Nasional Ke-46 GERAKAN, hari ini.

Siew Keong berkata, GERAKAN mempunyai 45 kerusi tradisi yang bakal ditandingi, malah ketika ini dalam fasa rundingan untuk pertukaran dengan rakan parti komponen BN.

Selain itu, katanya, kajian realistik menunjukkan GERAKAN berupaya memenangi lima kerusi Parlimen dan 12 kerusi DUN pada PRU-14 jika momentum jentera parti terus utuh.

"Mengenai siapa calon yang bakal menyandang jawatan Ketua Menteri jika GERAKAN menang di Pulau Pinang, saya mengambil pendirian untuk tidak terlalu teruja memikirkan soal itu.

"Lebih baik untuk GERAKAN bekerja sedaya upaya menempuh PRU-14 manakala perkiraan mengenai siapa calon Ketua Menteri akan diserahkan kepada keputusan bersama parti," katanya.

Membidas pendirian Kerajaan Pulau Pinang mengenai isu banjir, Siew Keong mempersoalkan jumlah projek yang diluluskan Ketua Menterinya, Lim Guan Eng, sepanjang sembilan tahun menerajui tampuk pemerintahan.

Berdasarkan rekod, Siew Keong berkata, bekas Ketua Menteri Pulau Pinang, Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon, ketika pemerintahannya meluluskan empat pelan pembangunan perumahan, berbanding 39 projek yang dikemukakan DAP.

"Saya nak tanya DAP khususnya Guan Eng, berapa banyak sebenarnya projek yang sudah diluluskan sepanjang beliau memegang tampuk pemerintahan.

"Adakah benar jumlah ini meningkat hampir 10 kali ganda, iaitu dari empat kepada 39 projek sepanjang sembilan tahun beliau memerintah?" katanya.

Gerakan ready to return to rule Penang after national election

KUALA LUMPUR: Gerakan is ready to recapture Penang from DAP in the next general election, Gerakan president Datuk Seri Mah Siew Keong said.

He said the party was gearing up its machinery to win the election and would restore Penang to its former glory when it came to power.

He said the people should realise by now that the present state government under DAP had caused Penang to slide into decline.

He said the DAP-led state government had failed in development planning, environmental protection, low- cost housing and responsible governance.

"Gerakan will return to the Penang state assembly and we are the first party to identify the candidates right after the last election.

“We have planned to recapture Penang for a long time, and our potential candidates are the result of party teamwork and unity,” he said when addressing the Gerakan 46th national delegates conference at Menara PGRM here today.

Present was Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who is also Barisan Nasional (BN) deputy chairman.

Mah said Gerakan candidates would have a winning mentality to ensure that they deliver for BN in the election.

He said the party had adopted a “micro-targeting” approach in the 12 parliamentary and 33 state seats traditionally contested by the party.

He said its election manifesto was ready and had been tailored to meet the needs of voters across various constituencies.

“Nobody knows Penang better than Gerakan,” he said.

Mah also took a swipe at DAP for constantly blaming the previous state government and refused to take responsibility for problems in Penang.

He lambasted DAP for approving 10 times as much projects in Tanjung Bungah.

In comparison, he said former Penang chief minister Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon only approved four projects in Tanjung Bungah from 2004 to 2008.

"DAP must answer why almost 39 projects have been approved in Penang.

“It’s easy to say yes to developers but Koh remained steadfast and protected the state,” he said.

From 1969 to 2008, Gerakan controlled Penang and was closely associated with the fortunes of the state.

In that time, there had been only two chief ministers in Penang - Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu and Koh, both from Gerakan.

In the 2004 election, Gerakan achieved its best electoral result by winning 10 parliamentary and 30 state seats.

However, in the 2008 election the party suffered its worst electoral defeat and lost Penang after an almost 39-year reign.

In the last polls, the party failed to improve its position when it lost one of its two remaining parliamentary seats.