The Malaysian Insider
November 17, 2011

Fact is, Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon’s fate was sealed the day Gerakan lost all its state seats and the government in Penang on March 8, 2008. It took him more than three years to realise that.

The Gerakan president’s announcement today that he will not contest in the next general election has been a foregone conclusion in Barisan Nasional (BN) circles for some time now. Both the Umno-owned Utusan Malaysia and MCA-owned The Star have been harping on the party’s poor leadership and performance over the past few months that there is nothing shocking about Koh’s decision.

So what use is it to hold on to his political posts? Why remain Penang BN chief and state Gerakan boss?

In explaining his “ultimate sacrifice” today, Koh said he meant that he would continue devoting his time and energy to campaign for his party’s candidates in the coming polls. “When I talk about sacrifice, I am talking about time and energy for the party,” he said.

“I want to campaign for our candidates to win, instead of focusing on winning a seat just for myself.”

Koh also dismissed a suggestion that his decision today meant he was giving up without fight, pointedly reminding reporters of his years of sacrifice in Gerakan.

“Eh, I have fought seven elections you know… most of them were very tough fights. Go back to history and read about 1982, 1986, 1990, 1995… what happened. I am perhaps the only one who has fought Lim Kit Siang twice,” he said.

All well and good. But the reality is his decision will not have any impact on Gerakan’s or BN’s fortunes in the next polls. The ruling federal coalition needs to show it has transformed into a pact that serves the people rather than itself. Hanging on Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s popularity will not help it regain the seats lost in Penang or elsewhere.

BN allowed Koh more than three years to see the light, that he shouldn’t contest any more in any election. There are a few other politicians in BN who need to face that reality too. BN needs to renew itself, find younger and more capable candidates or lose to a more nimble rival in Pakatan Rakyat (PR).

It can’t be sentimental or rest on its laurels like Koh has done in declaring he has fought twice against Kit Siang. That was well and good in the past. Fact is, he lost in 2008. And not likely to win in the next elections.

The question now is, who does Gerakan or BN have to face the likes of Lim Guan Eng, Nurul Izzah Anwar or Khalid Samad? The only bright spark is the likes of Khairy Jamaluddin who recently tripped over cow poo.

This is Najib’s dilemma. Koh is out. A few more need to get out. And if he can get the young ones to stop tripping, perhaps BN will have a set of capable leaders for the next round. Perhaps.