Gerakan wants to contest in Penang state election

ALOR STAR: Parti Gerakan Rakyat Malaysia (Gerakan) wants to be given a chance to contest in the Penang state election and is confident of achieving a better performance, said its president, Datuk Seri Mah Siew Kong.
Mah said although in principle Gerakan did not agree with the proposal of the DAP government led by Lim Guan Eng to have a snap election in the state, he predicted that the State Legislative Assembly would still be dissolved.
"I predict that with all the dramas, the Penang (State Assembly) will eventually be dissolved and there will be an election in the state.
"We (Gerakan) have many leaders in Penang who raised many issues but they are not in the State Assembly. I hope the voters in Penang will think wisely and give us an opportunity," he said after opening the Kedah Gerakan Delegates Conference, here today.
On Thursday, Lim said at a press conference that the DAP would give time to the PKR for a discussion before making a decision on a snap election in the state.
The proposal to hold an election was among the two options available, besides the other one that is to wait for the next general election, as a response to the two corruption charges faced by Lim.
Mah said, the move by the DAP to hold a snap election was to help in saving Lim from the numerous personal problems faced by him.
"Many people say we (Gerakan) are afraid, but this is not so because in principle we will show a better performance from before, but this does not necessarily mean that we support the proposal," he added. — Bernama