Gerakan to contest under Perikatan logo

GEORGE TOWN: Gerakan will contest under the Perikatan Nasional logo in the general election, including in Penang, says party president Datuk Dr Dominic Lau.He said the decision was made following a meeting with leaders of the coalition about a week ago.

“Gerakan will be using the Perikatan logo in the elections and the matter has been confirmed,” he told a press conference before launching Perikatan’s operations room for Bayan Baru yesterday.

Besides Gerakan, Perikatan Nasional comprises Bersatu, PAS, Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) and Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku (STAR).

Lau added that Gerakan was expected to contest in 18 parliamentary seats nationwide.

“We are getting more seats than in GE14 where we contested in 13 parliamentary seats,” he said.

He added that the list of candidates would be announced on Sunday.

For Penang, Lau said the party was expected to contest in Bukit Bendera, Jelutong, Bayan Baru, Tanjong and Batu Kawan.

On concerns that voters might not know that Gerakan was no longer part of Barisan Nasional, Lau explained that people were aware following the Melaka and Johor state elections.

Some members had earlier voiced their wish for Gerakan to contest under its own logo as it was established more than 50 years ago in Penang.

Meanwhile, Penang Gerakan chairman Oh Tong Keong said the party had 2,785 members from 20 branches in Bayan Baru.

He said that based on the latest records in September, there were 119,710 voters in Bayan Baru, of which about 39,000 were new voters and 5,800 aged between 18 and 20.