While the inner party circle has dubbed the trio as the “Iron Triangle”, Chia doubts that the cordial relationship, which they currently enjoyed, could be maintained due to "external interference".
"You cannot deny there is a contest (between him and Dr Teng for the Penang state chairman post). Whether they will bend or break the so-called triangle, I think it remains to be seen, and a subject to a lot of interpretation,
"Any relationship has to be genuine. If you have got that principle, you will not go wrong because you will not allow external interferences to influence you.
"Our society is not closed. There are external forces — what we call core of supporters. You cannot deny if there is any contest, there are members on the ground who behave differently from the leaders at the top," he told Bernama in an interview.
Chia said the maturity level was different for different people and if they allowed personal interest and hidden agendas to come into play, it would not be easy for the relationship to be maintained.
He said if the leaders subjected themselves to external interferences, it would get the members on the ground confused because as a leader, there was a need for them to send the right message to the grassroots.
Asked why he has been lying low after the Penang Gerakan election on Sept 21, where he lost in his bid to be elected as new state chairman to Dr Teng, Chia said it was only natural for him to lie low.
"My other principle is that all the delegates decided on who should be the state chairman. Let the new person have a hand to run it and carry out the task," he said.
On his relationship with Dr Teng after the state election, Chia refused to give any direct answer except to say: "Many questions have been asked on my relationship with Dr Teng, as well as with Dr Koh.
"So, at personal level, there is no point denying or commenting. This question never stops. Very tiresome in answering and giving the same answer all the time."
On the coming national delegates conference (NDC), Chia said the party elections were likely to overshadow what the party had done, while at the same time, did not rule out that the future of the party in the Barisan Nasional would be discussed by the delegates.
"This subject is mostly discussed in our dialogue. However, for the matter to be discussed at NDC, I have not received any official resolution or debate on whether to stay or leave the BN," he noted.
However, Chia said this did not mean the delegates would not raise the issue.
Any issue related to the party position in the BN should be discussed at the extraordinary national delegates conference (ENDC).
"I foresee that the delegates will continue to raise the topic at the NDC although there was no formal discussion. It can be raised in the form of a debate or outside the debate. I foresee this would happen," he added.
Chia, however, cautioned party members from making any extreme decision as they should not forget the party's idealism.
"We never allowed pragmatism to justify not sticking to our ideas. I know it is a difficult balance,
"Looking at the situation in the country and the party, we need to exercise our political objective — that is, only things that are permanent. Leaders come and go. We need to go back to basics," he said.
Therefore, he said, Gerakan must always have the interest of people in its heart as that is the only way the party can regain support from the people.
- Bernama
