On the eve of March 8 2008 general election, Party Gerakan Rakyat was in festive mood. They had many reasons to do so. Dr. Koh Tsu Koon was expected to be appointed a minister after the general election to replace Lim Keng Yik who was retiring. Party officials in Penang was jostling to fill the seat vacated by him and the loot of Exco seats. Every thing seemed good.On March 8 2008, the political tsunami has changed the landscape of the country beyond recognition. Overnight, Gerakan was uprooted.... finished...almost!
Koh Tsu Koon's ministerial dream shattered. The party lost the Penang state and the chief ministership which Koh has been holding for the past 18 years. Gerakan party is in tatter.
Koh Tsu Koon accepted the defeat true to his gentleman character. He cooperated in the transfer of power to Lim Guan Eng from DAP. He took full responsibility of the defeat and vowed not to accept ministerial appointment through senatorship as a matter of principle. Many felt for him and sympathised with him.
Hardly one year later, the new Prime Minister Najib has appointed him a Minister through this value-adding process. He accepted it happily... his dream finally materialized. He was criticised for not upholding his principle and accepted his appointment through this "back door" process. (In Malaysia, we have a setup called Upper House. Anybody, be it nobody, somebody, looser or even corrupted politician, just go in there, through this passage, you are value-added as a Senator, hooray...wahlao....you can be a minister - liao!) .
With his appointment, Koh is given a "chicken breast bone" (bony with little meat). It is a difficult ministry and un-enviable task, has little advantage to the revival of his party but may contribute to his downfall or even demise of his party. It is a double bladed sword too. Given the current situation, he has to take it. (contrary to Gerakan Youth leader Lim See Pin who called Koh's appointment as "Super Minister" overseeing 28 ministers' performance... siok sendiri le)
His appointment indicates:
1. BN politic is all about power and position.
2. The respectable gentleman Koh Tsu Koon has died.
3. Koh Tsu Koon the minister is just another power and position craving, principle-less politician.
4. He is enjoying gratuity, benefits as former state assemblyman, former chief minister, plus salary, allowances and perks of senator and minister (jia be liao!).
5. Without voters' support, he still can be a minister. So why bother to give him your vote.
6. His senatorship is a "gift" from UMNO. May not exactly be a puppet of UMNO, but definitely he has no "face".
7. His portfolio of national unity and key performance index of ministries makes him a clown and hastens his fall.
8. National unity? Koh is not able to unite his own tattered party before and after the March 8 election. Building unity is not a strong point for Koh.
9. A loser party president ..... what clout he has to judge the ministers' performance.... a mouse judging elephants, lions and tigers? doubtful KPI figures.
Looks like the Gerakan party has come to a dead end of gerak now!
在去年三月八号大选之前夕，民政党是浸淫在一个喜庆的气氛中。他们有很多值得 庆祝的理由。许子根将在大选中攻打国会议席，以让他能够从退休的党主席林敬益手中接过部长的职位。其他的党要也忙着在争取接过许子根上京后的首席部长空 缺，及还有其他的行政州议员的肥缺。一切都非常令人兴奋。
三月八号政治海啸的到来，把国家整个政治版图改得面目全非。一夜之间，民政党被连根拔起，全军覆没。。。几乎如此！
许子根上京之梦粉碎，槟城州政府政权失陷，坐了十八年的槟城首席部长之位也不保，民政党陷入的支离破碎的局面。
许子根以君子的风度，接受失败，并非常合作的把州政权顺利的移交给接任的林冠英。他对党在这次大选的失败，接受全部的责任，并誓言绝不接受通过委任为上议员，而当上部长。当时他确是赢得的人们的赞赏和同情。
事过刚到一年，他在这个月，被新首相纳吉委任为首相署部长，掌管国家团结及部门表现指数。他很高兴的接受了委任。许多人批评他走后门当官的方式。（在马来西亚，有一个上议院。任何人，不管什么人，就算是默默无名者，腐败者，失败者，只要你经过这管道，你就变成上议员，就可以当部长了！）
他的接受委任，就如获得一块鸡肋，吃之乏味，丢之可惜。这是一个吃力不讨好的部门。他的封官，未必对他本人及党的复苏有帮助，搞不好还可能是他的失蹄之地，甚至加快民政党的灭亡。这个官位是把双刃剑。但以目前的政治环境之下，他也得接受了。（可笑的是，民政党青年团团长林时彬却称许子根的官职是”超人部长“，看管28位部长的表现。。。真是自己爽的笑话！）
他的接受官职，显示了：1. 国阵的政治就是权力和地位。
2. 受人敬重的君子许子根，已经不存在了。
3. 现在的许子根部长，也只不过是和其他贪念权力和地位的人没两样。
4. 他可以享受到前任州议员 、前任首席部长的退休恩俸，加上议员 、部长的薪金 、福利 及各种津贴，真的是“吃不完”！
5. 没有人民的支持，他还是一样升官，所以，为什么还要给他选票你！
6. 他上议员的地位，是巫统了礼物。虽不致称为巫统傀儡，但确是件丢脸的事。
7. 他的官位，将使他成为吃力不讨好的小丑。
8. 他官拜团结及表现指数部长，但他却不能在三零八大选之前 、之后团结自己的党内部。搞团结不是许子根的强项。
9. 一位不得选民支持的党主席，有什么威望可以评估部长的表现？就如老鼠给大象 、狮子及老虎评分。打出来的指数能够想信吗？可能这是狐假虎威的典型参考例子了。
看来民政党可能是柳暗花明又一村，但也可能是到了一个死胡同了！看来后者的可能性较高。
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