KUALA LUMPUR: Gerakan secretary-general Datuk Seri Chia Kwang Chye has set his sights on becoming the next Penang party chief and will contest for the post at the delegates conference in August.
He said he was prepared to take over from acting president and former Penang chief minister Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon, who is not seeking re-election as state chairman.

The Penang state delegates conference is scheduled to be held on Aug 23, with nominations to close on Aug 17. There will be contests for 13 division chairmen, besides the six members to be elected to the liaison committee.

Asked if he was ready to face challengers for the post, Chia said: "Let's wait and see. What I want to do now is consolidate and regain the support of the people," he said at the party headquarters at Menara PGRM in Cheras yesterday.

Penang Gerakan Youth chief and former Batu Kawan MP Huan Cheng Guan had also said he would vie for the post.
Koh, had on Monday announced that he wanted to devote more time and energy as the acting party president to handling national party matters.

He pledged to continue to work closely with leaders and members to rejuvenate and strengthen Penang Gerakan, by drawing on his experience as chief minister for 18 years and state chairman for 12 years.

On Gerakan Federal Territories chairman Datuk Dr Tan Kee Kwong's suspension, Chia said Dr Tan had until Friday to respond to the party's show-cause letter.

Dr Tan was handed a show-cause letter and then suspended on June 6 for taking up an offer by the Pakatan Rakyat Selangor government to head a task force on land matters.

He allegedly said Gerakan leaders could go jump in Sungai Klang if they did not like him accepting the post.

Dr Tan is the the second Gerakan leader who had agreed to serve under a Pakatan Rakyat-led government.

Former Gerakan deputy secretary-general Datuk Lee Kah Choon had accepted the directorship of the Penang Development Corporation and investPenang in Penang. Lee resigned from all party posts.