DATUK LEE KAH CHOON QUITS GERAKAN IN WAVE OF SHOW-CAUSE LETTER FOR BEING APPOINTED DIRECTOR BY THE OPPOSITION

Datuk Lee Kah Choon had tendered his resignation as a member of Gerakan in response to a show-cause letter sent to him by the Acting President of Gerakan Tan Sri Koh Tsu Koon with regards to him accepting the offer from the Opposition, Pakatan Rakyat to be appointed as a Director of the Penang Development Corporation (PDC) and InvestPenang on Monday which seems to have violated the 'spirit of Barisan' as is termed by some Barisan Nasional leaders.

The Opposition had engaged his service since he has been found capable to serve which will benefit the rakyat on the whole.

Rather than accepting that this is an 'honour' for the Barisan Nasional that their member is considered for such an important position, they have gone to ridicule their member, which is very unbecoming of any institution.

These 'double standard' practiced by the ruling Barisan Nasional is becoming questionable. When the Terengganu Menteri Besar Datuk Ahmad Said had gone against the Prime Minister, UMNO President and BN President wishes on taking the post of Menteri Besar, the matter was just squashed like nothing had happen although the Prime Minister and BN government were seem to have been made a 'big fool'. This clearly demonstrates that UMNO can do anything and the other component parties in the BN are just 'slaves' and will need to obey the UMNO 'command'. When Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein or Khairy Jamaluddin had done things to create 'sensitiveness' against the non-malays, but no action was also taken and these were some of the reasons for the disastrous defeat of BN in the recent polls.

It seems that the time has come for the other parties in Barisan Nasional to evaluate their position in the BN since the 'so-called' head, UMNO seems to do what they like although the accepted principles were that each party is managed by their respective leadership and any matters arising will usual be discussed internally within the leadership of the BN to find an amicable and acceptable solution. The term 'spirit of Barisan' is just meant to assist UMNO to dominate the other component parties which in true sense is against the accepted BN norm.

With the departure of Datuk Lee Kah Choon, Gerakan had lost a very capable leader and there may be many others who will follow suite since they can no longer accept that serving the rakyat is a 'crime' as described by the ruling Barisan Nasional government.

This incident clearly demonstrate that the non-malays in the BN are no better than a 'pariah'.