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Malaysian People's Movement Party

(Redirected from Gerakan Rakyat Malaysia)

The Malaysian People's Movement Party (Malay: Parti Gerakan Rakyat Malaysia; abbrev: GERAKAN or less commonly as PGRM) is a liberal political party in Malaysia.Formed in 1968, Gerakan gained prominence in the 1969 general election when it defeated the ruling Alliance Party in Penang and won the majority of seats in Penang's state legislature. In 1972, Gerakan joined the Alliance Party, which later became Barisan Nasional (BN), the ruling coalition of Malaysia until 2018. It has been a member of Perikatan Nasional (PN) since 2021.

Malaysian People's Movement Party
Malay nameParti Gerakan Rakyat Malaysia
ڤرتي ڬرقن رعيت مليسيا
Chinese name马来西亚民政运动
Mǎláixīyà mínzhèng yùndòng
Tamil nameமலேசிய மக்கள் இயக்கக் கட்சி
Malēciya makkaḷ iyakkak kaṭci
AbbreviationPGRM/GERAKAN
PresidentDominic Lau Hoe Chai
Secretary-GeneralLoh Kah Yong
Deputy PresidentOh Tong Keong
Vice PresidentKoo Shiaw Lee
Baljit Singh Jigiri Singh
Alexander Lo Su Hyen
Ranndy Yap Kim Heng
Parameswaran Ganason
Chek Kwong Weng
Gary Lee Ban Fatt
Women ChiefChung Mon Sie
Youth ChiefWong Chia Zhen
FounderSyed Hussein Alatas
Tan Chee Khoon
J.B.A. Peter
Lim Chong Eu
Veerappen Veerathan
Wang Gungwu
Founded24 March 1968
Registered22 May 1968
Officially registered
Legalised28 May 1968
Legalised as 'political party' by Registrar Of Societies
Split from• Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA)
• United Democratic Party (UDP)
• Labour Party of Malaya (LPM)
Preceded byUnited Democratic Party
Labour Party (partial)
Headquarters8, Jalan Pudu Ulu, Cheras, 56100 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
NewspaperGERAKAN Today
(e-periodical)
Think tankSocio-Economic Development And Research Institute (SEDAR)
Youth wingPEMUDA
Women's wingWANITA
Membership (2022)285,100
IdeologyLiberalism
Nationalism
Multiracialism
Political positionCentre[citation needed]
National affiliationBarisan Nasional (1973–2018)
Perikatan Nasional (since 2021)
International affiliationLiberal International (observer)[1]
Alliance of Democrats
Regional affiliationCouncil of Asian Liberals and Democrats
Colours  Red & Green
SloganSatu Hati Gerak Bersama (Forward Together with One Heart)
AnthemSatu Hati
Dewan Negara:
1 / 70
Dewan Rakyat:
0 / 222
Dewan Undangan Negeri:
1 / 611
Election symbol
Party flag
Website
www.gerakan.org.my

Gerakan played a dominant role in the Penang state legislature from 1969 until 2008. It also enjoyed some success nationally as part of the ruling BN coalition, particularly in the 2004 general election, but Its fortune declined sharply in the 2008 election. Following the fall of BN in the 2018 general election, where Gerakan lost all its seats, it left the coalition.[2] The party joined the then ruling Perikatan Nasional in 2021.[3] It had no representation at the national or state-level until the 2023 Kedah state election, where the party achieved its first electoral victory since 2014. Despite clashes with its coalition allies, the party is perceived to be dependent on continued membership within Perikatan Nasional.[4]

The party is assisted by an affiliated think tank called SEDAR Institute (Socio-Economic Development And Research Institute). The party is a member of the Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats. At its height, the party's primary source of support came from the country's ethnic Chinese who constitute 80% of the party's membership, with 15% being Indian, and the remaining spread between Malays and other groups.[5]

History

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Formation

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In 1959, the leader of Malaysian Chinese Association Dr. Lim Chong Eu resigned his position as president after conflict with UMNO leader Tunku Abdul Rahman over the allocation of seats in the 1959 general election. Dr Lim requested that MCA be given 40 seats to contest (MCA was allocated 30 seats). He left MCA, and later set up the United Democratic Party in 1962. In 1968, UDP was dissolved and its former members, together with the Labour Party and others, joined force to form a new party Gerakan.[6] The six founders of the party were Professor Syed Hussain Alatas, Dr. Tan Chee Khoon, Dr. J.B.A. Peter, Lim Chong Eu, Professor Wang Gungwu, and V. Veerapan.[7] Although the majority of its supporters were Chinese, the party positioned itself as a Malaysian, non-communal party that received some support from the Indians and Malays. Its pro tem president was Professor Syed Hussein Alatas, and later Lim took over the presidency which lasted until 1980.[8]

1969–2007

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The party won the state of Penang in the 1969 general election by taking 16 out of 24 seats, winning control from the MCA. Lim Chong Eu became Penang's Chief Minister. Gerakan and the Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party, which won in Kelantan, were the only parties not then affiliated with the Alliance Party to form a state government in Malaysia. However, due to internal disputes within the party, for example over plan for closer ties with Alliance, the party was split. Many of its members, such as Syed Hussein Alatas, V. David, Veerappen, and Tan Chee Khoon, left to form Parti Keadilan Masyarakat Malaysia (PEKEMAS).[9] The PEKEMAS party however proved to be short-lived, and Gerakan itself became reduced and largely Chinese as many non-Chinese left the party. In 1972, Gerakan joined the Alliance which became Barisan Nasional in 1973.[10]

In 1973, a number of former MCA members from Perak and Selangor who were expelled from the party, including Lim Keng Yaik and Paul Leong Khee Seong, joined Gerakan.[11][12] In 1980, Lim Chong Eu decided to retire from the post of party president, and Lim Keng Yaik won the presidency over Lim Chong Eu's preferred candidate Paul Leong.[13] Lim Keng Yaik stayed as president of Gerakan until he decided to retire in 2007.

Gerakan had continual conflicts with MCA as it challenged MCA's position as the main Chinese party within BN. In the 1978 general election, disputes broke out between Gerakan and MCA as seven ex-MCA members (with support from MCA) stood against Gerakan.[14] The party lost some seats but managed to retain its stronghold Penang despite losing its position as the biggest party in Penang. Gerakan also sought to expand its influence in others states, especially in Perak, an effort helped by continued defections from MCA. In 1979, Michael Chen stood against Lee San Choon for the MCA Presidency but lost, then later in 1981 joined Gerakan.[15] He was followed by 120,000 dissidents MCA members, thereby allowing Gerakan to create of new branches and become a nationwide organisation. (Chen however later rejoined MCA after a failed challenge to replace Lim Keng Yaik as leader in 1984).[16] In the 1982 general election, it increased its representation in both the national level (from 4 to 5, out of 7 seats allocated) as well as state level (from 12 to 15).[17]

Before the 1986 general election, Gerakan came into conflict with UMNO when it was suggested that a Malay, possibly Anwar Ibrahim should replace Lim Chong Eu as Penang Chief Minister after his term expired. Gerakan threatened to resign from BN unless it was allocated more seats.[18] It was then allocated 9 seats, it nevertheless lost 4 of these, thereby ending with the same number of seats (5). It also saw increased pressure from Democratic Action Party which increased its representation in the Penang state assembly and overtook Gerakan as the second largest party in the state.[19]

In the 1990 general election, it suffered a setback when Lim Chong Eu was defeated by Lim Kit Siang of Democratic Action Party in his Padang Kota constituency, after which Lim Chong Eu retired from politics.[8] Nevertheless, Gerakan retained the post of Chief Minister of Penang with Dr. Koh Tsu Koon taking over the position. In the 1995 general election, Gerakan bounced back, winning 7 parliamentary seats and 23 state seats.

For nearly four decades, from 1969 to 2008, although not necessarily the biggest party (UMNO was the biggest party in Penang for many years from the late 1970s onward), Gerakan played a dominant role in the Penang State Legislature, and became closely associated with the fortune of Penang. In that time there had been only two chief ministers in Penang, Lim and Koh Tsu Koon, both from Gerakan.[20] In 1996, in an attempt to win broader support, the party shifted its headquarter to Kuala Lumpur.[6]

In the 2004 general election, Gerakan achieved its best electoral result, winning 10 parliamentary seats and 30 state seats. On 27 August 2005, its president Lim Keng Yaik was challenged by the Deputy Kerk Choo Ting in its party election. Lim retained his party President post after winning with 983 votes against 628 votes for Kerk. Koh Tsu Koon became the new Deputy President which he won unopposed after the nomination day for the party election.

2008–2017

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In 2008, Lim Keng Yaik retired from politics after relinquishing the post of party president in 2007. Koh Tsu Koon took over as acting president in 2007, and won the presidency uncontested in the 2008 party elections.[21]

In the 2008 general election, the party suffered its worst electoral defeat. The party retained only two parliament seats, compared to the 10 seats it had before the election. As a result, the party lost its only cabinet post in the ensuing cabinet shuffle. In addition, Gerakan also lost power in Penang after governing the state for almost 39 years.[22] Soon after the defeat, a number of prominent members, such as Tan Kee Kwong and Lee Kah Choon, went over to the opposition coalition Pakatan Rakyat to take up posts with Opposition-led state governments in Penang and Selangor.[23]

After the dismal performance in the 12th general election, Gerakan launched a party rejuvenation campaign in conjunction with the party's 40th anniversary celebrations on 25 May 2008 in its bid to rebound in mainstream politics and to regain people's confidence. It outlined three main thrusts, namely to voice Gerakan's ideology, policy position and advocate Malaysian solutions for various major issues, to rebuild, rebrand and re-empower the party at all levels, and to regain people's confidence.[24] The party also launched a new slogan, "Forward Together with One Heart" (Satu Hati Gerak Bersama), and set out its area of concerns and strategies.[25][26]

In the 2013 general election, the party failed to improve its position and losing one its two remaining parliamentary seats. Later in the year, Mah Siew Keong took over as president after beating Penang Gerakan chairman Teng Chang Yeow for the post.[27] In 2016, for the first time in history, the President of BN did not attend the annual general meeting of Gerakan and instead briefly appeared on video for 2 minutes.[28]

2018–present

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In the 2018 general election, Gerakan failed to win any seat and therefore had no representation in Parliament for the first time. On 23 June 2018, the party unanimously decided to leave BN in the aftermath of the election.[2] Following the party's departure from Barisan Nasional, the party contested in the 2019 Tanjung Piai by-election, which it lost. It joined the Perikatan Nasional coalition in February 2021.[29]

Gerakan contested the 2022 Malaysian general election as part of the Perikatan Nasional coalition.[30] However, it again failed to win any seat in the parliamentary or state elections. However, the party won a seat in the 2023 Kedah state election, which is the party's first electoral victory since the 2014 Telok Intan by-election.

Elected representatives

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Senators

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Main article: Members of the Dewan Negara, 15th Malaysian Parliament

Dewan Undangan Negeri (State Legislative Assembly)

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Main article: List of Malaysian State Assembly Representatives (2023–present)

Kedah State Legislative Assembly

1 / 36
State No. Parliament Constituency No. State Constituency Member Party
  Kedah P018 Kulim-Bandar Baharu N35 Kulim Wong Chia Zhen GERAKAN
Total Kedah (1)

Leadership

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List of party leaders (Presidents)

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Order Portrait Name[31] Term of office Remarks
1 Syed Hussein Alatas 1968 1969
2 Lim Chong Eu 1969 1980
3 Lim Keng Yaik 1980 8 April 2007
– Koh Tsu Koon 8 April 2007 4 October 2008 Acting
4 Koh Tsu Koon 4 October 2008 16 May 2013
– Chang Ko Youn 16 May 2013 26 October 2013 Acting
5 Mah Siew Keong 26 October 2013 17 November 2018
6 Dominic Lau Hoe Chai 17 November 2018 Incumbent

General election results

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Election Total seats won Seats contested Total votes Share of votes Outcome of election Election leader
1969
8 / 144
 17 178,971 7.5%  1 seat; Opposition,
later Governing coalition
(Alliance Party) 		Lim Chong Eu
1974
5 / 144
  3 seats; Governing coalition
(Barisan Nasional) 		Lim Chong Eu
1978
4 / 154
  1 seat; Governing coalition
(Barisan Nasional) 		Lim Chong Eu
1982
5 / 154
  1 seat; Governing coalition
(Barisan Nasional) 		Lim Keng Yaik
1986
5 / 177
  ; Governing coalition
(Barisan Nasional) 		Lim Keng Yaik
1990
5 / 180
  ; Governing coalition
(Barisan Nasional) 		Lim Keng Yaik
1995
7 / 192
  2 seats; Governing coalition
(Barisan Nasional) 		Lim Keng Yaik
1999
7 / 193
 9  ; Governing coalition
(Barisan Nasional) 		Lim Keng Yaik
2004
10 / 219
 12 257,763 3.7%  3 seats; Governing coalition
(Barisan Nasional) 		Lim Keng Yaik
2008
2 / 222
 11 184,548 2.27%  8 seats; Governing coalition
(Barisan Nasional) 		Koh Tsu Koon
2013
1 / 222
 11 191,019 1.73%  1 seat; Governing coalition
(Barisan Nasional) 		Koh Tsu Koon
2018
0 / 222
 11 128,973 1.07%  1 seat; No representation in Parliament
(Barisan Nasional) 		Mah Siew Keong
2022
0 / 222
 23 305,125 1.97%  ; No representation in Parliament
(Perikatan Nasional) 		Dominic Lau Hoe Chai

State election results

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State election State Legislative Assembly
Kedah Penang Perak Pahang Selangor Negeri Sembilan Malacca Johor Sabah Total won / Total contested
2/3 majority
2 / 3
2 / 3
2 / 3
2 / 3
2 / 3
2 / 3
2 / 3
2 / 3
2 / 3
1969
2 / 24
16 / 24
2 / 40
1 / 24
4 / 28
1 / 20
0 / 32
26 / 38
1974
1 / 26
11 / 27
1 / 42
1 / 32
1 / 33
15 / 18
1978
1 / 26
8 / 27
2 / 42
1 / 33
12 / 17
1982
1 / 26
8 / 27
3 / 42
1 / 32
1 / 33
0 / 24
0 / 20
1 / 32
15 / 18
1986
1 / 28
9 / 33
1 / 46
1 / 33
0 / 42
0 / 28
1 / 36
13 / 22
1990
7 / 33
1 / 46
1 / 33
0 / 42
1 / 36
10 / 18
1995
2 / 36
10 / 33
5 / 52
1 / 38
1 / 48
1 / 32
2 / 40
22 / 26
1999
2 / 36
10 / 33
3 / 52
1 / 38
2 / 48
1 / 32
2 / 40
21 / 25
2004
2 / 36
13 / 40
4 / 59
1 / 42
4 / 56
2 / 36
1 / 28
3 / 56
30 / 31
2008
1 / 36
0 / 40
0 / 59
1 / 42
0 / 56
0 / 36
0 / 28
2 / 56
4 / 31
2013
0 / 36
0 / 40
0 / 59
0 / 42
0 / 56
0 / 36
0 / 28
1 / 56
2 / 60
3 / 31
2018
0 / 36
0 / 40
0 / 59
0 / 42
0 / 56
0 / 36
0 / 28
0 / 56
0 / 60
0 / 31
2021
0 / 28
0 / 5
2022
0 / 56
0 / 8
2022
0 / 59
0 / 42
0 / 14
2023
1 / 36
0 / 40
0 / 56
0 / 36
1 / 36

References

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  1. ^ Gerakan Rakyat Malaysia Party Archived 26 October 2011 at the Wayback Machine, Liberal International, www.liberal-international.org. Retrieved 17 November 2011.
  2. ^ a b "Gerakan leaves Barisan Nasional". New Straits Times. 23 June 2018. Retrieved 23 June 2018.
  3. ^ Minderjeet Kaur (11 February 2021). "Gerakan joins PN". Free Malaysia Today. Retrieved 12 February 2021.
  4. ^ "Gerakan in tough position within Perikatan over brewery donation issue".
  5. ^ Suthakar, K. (20 November 2006). "PPP offers Gerakan merger". The Star. Archived from the original on 11 March 2007.
  6. ^ a b Ooi, Keat Gin (2010). The A to Z of Malaysia. Scarecrow Press. p. 106. ISBN 978-0-8108-7641-5.
  7. ^ "The Early Years, 1968–1972". Parti Gerakan Rakyak Malaysia.
  8. ^ a b Cheah Kooi Guan (2012). Leo Suryadinata (ed.). Southeast Asian Personalities of Chinese Descent: A Biographical Dictionary. Institute of Southeast Asian Studies. pp. 603–605. ISBN 978-981-4345-21-7.
  9. ^ K S Sandhu, A Mani, ed. (1993). Indian Communities in Southeast Asia. Institute of Southeast Asian Studies. p. 259. ISBN 978-981-210-017-7.
  10. ^ Keat Gin Ooi (2010). The A to Z of Malaysia. Scarecrow Press. pp. ixvi–ixvii. ISBN 978-0-8108-7641-5.
  11. ^ Malte Kaßner (2014). he Influence of the Type of Dominant Party on Democracy: A Comparison Between South Africa and Malaysia. Springer VS. p. 99. ISBN 978-3-658-04437-4.
  12. ^ Cheah Kooi Guan (2012). Leo Suryadinata (ed.). Southeast Asian Personalities of Chinese Descent: A Biographical Dictionary. Institute of Southeast Asian Studies. p. 634. ISBN 978-981-4345-21-7.
  13. ^ Harold A. Crouch (1982). Malaysia's 1982 General Election. Institute of Southeast Asian Studies. p. 12. ISBN 978-9971-902-45-2.
  14. ^ Ismail Kassim (1978). The Politics of Accommodation: An Analysis of the 1978 Malaysian General Election. Institute of Southeast Asian Studies. pp. 58–59.
  15. ^ Harold A. Crouch (1982). Malaysia's 1982 General Election. Institute of Southeast Asian Studies. pp. 9–11. ISBN 978-9971-902-45-2.
  16. ^ Neil Jin Keong Khor; Kay Peng Khoo (2008). Non-sectarian Politics in Malaysia: The Case of Parti Gerakan Rakyat Malaysia. Trafalgar Publishing House. pp. 84, 90. ISBN 978-983-43245-1-3.
  17. ^ Harold A. Crouch (1982). Malaysia's 1982 General Election. Institute of Southeast Asian Studies. p. 50. ISBN 978-9971-902-45-2.
  18. ^ Sankaran Ramanathan; Mohd. Hamdan Adnan (1990). Malaysia's 1986 General Election: The Urban-rural Dichotomy. Institute of Southeast Asian. p. 29. ISBN 978-981-3035-12-6.
  19. ^ Sankaran Ramanathan; Mohd. Hamdan Adnan (1990). Malaysia's 1986 General Election: The Urban-rural Dichotomy. Institute of Southeast Asian. p. 58. ISBN 978-981-3035-12-6.
  20. ^ Peter James Rimmer; Howard W. Dick (2009). The City in Southeast Asia: Patterns, Processes and Policy. Univ of Hawaii Pr. pp. 123–124. ISBN 978-0-8248-3313-8.
  21. ^ "Sdr Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon (President from 2007 to 2013)". Parti Gerakan Rakyat Malaysia.
  22. ^ Malte Kaßner (2014). he Influence of the Type of Dominant Party on Democracy: A Comparison Between South Africa and Malaysia. Springer VS. pp. 106–108. ISBN 978-3-658-04437-4.
  23. ^ Dharmender Singh; Chritina Tan (29 May 2008). "Gerakan's Tan 'joins' Pakatan". The Star. Archived from the original on 9 December 2017. Retrieved 17 March 2015.
  24. ^ "Will a party rejuvenation program save Gerakan from its impending doom?". Rakyat Post. 29 October 2013. Archived from the original on 15 January 2018. Retrieved 17 March 2015.
  25. ^ "Gerakan still has a role to play: Koh". The Sun Daily. 26 May 2008.
  26. ^ "Gerakan Matters". Gerakan.
  27. ^ L. Suganya; D. Kanyakumari (26 October 2013). "Gerakan: Mah Siew Keong is the new party president". The Star.
  28. ^ "Do more to win people over, Najib urges Gerakan". The Malay Mail. 9 October 2016. Retrieved 2 April 2018.
  29. ^ "Former BN party Gerakan joins Malaysia's ruling Perikatan Nasional coalition". The Straits Times. 12 February 2021.
  30. ^ Lo Tern Chern (26 October 2022). "Gerakan to contest under Perikatan logo". The Star.
  31. ^ "Former Presidents". gerakan.org.my. Retrieved 2 April 2018.

Notes

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  • Chin, James (2006) New Chinese Leadership in Malaysia: The Contest for the MCA and Gerakan Presidency Contemporary Southeast Asia (CSEA), Vol. 28, No. 1 (April 2006).
  • Goh, Cheng Teik (1994). Malaysia: Beyond Communal Politics. Pelanduk Publications. ISBN 967-978-475-4.
  • Pillai, M.G.G. (3 November 2005). "National Front parties were not formed to fight for Malaysian independence". Malaysia Today.
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