20081011

Gerakan Youth offers to be guinea pig for merger

KUALA LUMPUR, FRI:

Gerakan has offered its Youth wing as guinea pig to experiment with the proposed merger of all Barisan Nasional (BN) component parties into a single multiracial party.

Gerakan president Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon said today that with Gerakans multiracial identity, the partys Youth wing could be a suitable platform for the experiment and to spearhead the concept.

He also urged the Youth wing to open its door wider to Malaysians of all races.

“We can offer ourselves and set an example for other BN component parties to be guinea pigs for this multiracial experiment.

“Lets see how it works out,” he told reporters after opening the Wanita and Youth delegates conference at Menara PGRM here.
Dr Koh also proposed that the BN work out a mechanism to sort out the organisational structure at the grassroot levels if it were to work towards a single multiracial party. He said the time was ripe for all BN component parties to re-look at this proposal which he had once made 23 years ago.

This could include amending the coalitions constitution if necessary.

He believed that such concept is workable but should not be carried out in haste, in order to avoid unnecessary problems such as splits and conflicts within the BN.

“We have to do it step by step.

“For instance, we need to look at the organisational structure at the grassroot levels. How we find a mechanism that could enable members of the component leaders to vote for a leader,” he said.

On the proposed extraordinary general meeting (EGM) of grassroot members to discuss the partys position in the governing coalition following its dismal performance in the March 8 general election, Dr Koh said he agreed to it but it is unlikely to happen anytime soon.

This was because the top priority for all members at this moment should be on restrenghtening an rebuilding the party.

“Besides, we need to work with other component parties to address the more pressing issues that are affecting all races, such as the economic problems, corruption, environment and religion,” he said.

Dr Koh also said taht Gerakan would support the religious reform agenda mooted by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

“We will work together with the prime minister in his efforts to find workable and acceptable solutions to these issues,” he said.

Yesterday, Abdullah said he would carry out a few reforms, including those on religious conversion and inter-marriages, before he steps down in March next year.

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