Be cool, Gerakan deputy president advises members

Be cool headed and do not retaliate to criticisms in a hot headed man¬ ner – that is the advice of Gerakan deputy president Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon to members in view of the “hot” political climate.

Dr Koh, who is also Penang's Chief Minister said: “You can be hot-blooded but not hot-headed. Don’t even be big headed. Have a cool head to be analytical and rational. You must be able to plan, implement and sacrifice for the country,” he said on Friday when opening the Gerakan Youth and Wanita delegates conference.

Dr Koh said members should criticise positively and constructively by focusing on the issue and not on personal matters.

“When it is personal, we become emotional and are distracted from the real issue,” he said, adding that they should use internal channels within the Barisan Nasional.

“For example, if Education Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein messed up in his work, we do not bantai (whack) him and ask him to resign. That is not the way.”

He said the wishes of the people should be raised but one should not criticise other par ties to get publicity.

Dr Koh admitted it was easier if he was attacked by the opposition.

“If the criticisms are coming from Barisan, which is our friend, we will hit back at that person and not the party. This is because the views of Barisan are different from the person’s opinions,” he added.

He noted that Barisan component members would quarrel and raise their voices when they discussed matters within the coalition.

But, they must make sure that the issues did not become racial, he said.

Any issue confronting the different communities should be seen as a national concern, he added.