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KUALA LUMPUR: If Barisan Nasional partners are willing to rid themselves of their self importance and fight for all Malaysians, Gerakan will remain true to the ruling coalition, said Gerakan Wanita chief Datuk Tan Lian Hoe.
In her speech at the 21st Gerakan Wanita national delegates conference, she said the party would rise with the people to bring positive changes to the country. Tan said some leaders in the ruling coalition had chosen to forget that "everyone is a Malaysian, irrespective of race". "We are not squatters. Our origins are the same -- the Malays come from the Malay islands in Nusantara, the Chinese from China and the Indians from India. So if you don't know our history, don't talk about it. "The Orang Asli are the true people of this land, but unfortunately, they continue to be sidelined," she said in a pointed reference to the remarks made by Umno's Datuk Ahmad Ismail in the run-up to the Permatang Pauh by-election recently that the Chinese were squatters. She called on leaders not to abuse or twist historical facts and stoke racial sentiment to gain popularity and win votes. "We don't want third-class leaders who divide and rule. This will create chaos, erode our unity and cause conflict among the races." Tan said the dismal performance of the BN in the general election was a bitter pill to swallow, but efforts must be made to find out the cause. "It is only fair for us to admit our weaknesses, where we are seen as not being brave enough to voice our opinions within the BN. "We are regarded as being weak and not having lived up to our role in making changes within the coalition because we are under the thumb of Umno and are being manipulated by Umno leaders and members. "We continue to be stepped on, humiliated by our friends in the BN and this is the partnership we talk about in BN." She added that despite the stark reality of the March 8 election, there were still leaders and members within the BN who were thumping their chest with pride and playing the race card and ever-present Malay supremacy issue. "Power-crazy members and internal power struggles mar the work that is supposed to be done for the people, especially the poor. "We have forgotten our roots, we argue and debate, we forget the opposition made headway not because of their strength, but because of internal politicking within the BN." She said that corruption, abuse of power, crimes against women and children, rising price of goods, problems with the judiciary, global economic crisis and other issues that deserved attention continued to be ignored. - nst
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I supect there is money and corruption involved in the component parties staying with UMNO. Truth will eventually come out and then Gerakan members should chase KSK out of Malaysia.