Keng Yaik said he had deliberately announced in December last year that Dr Koh should remain in Penang, Gerakan's power base, to force force the present Gerakan leadership and Central Committee (CC) to decide on the Penang chief minister's succession as the general election was fast approaching.
"That was my reaction to the attack by DAP and PKR on Gerakan for not deciding on the chief minister's successor. Once we felt confident that the candidate is ready, Dr Koh can go elsewhere," the outspoken politician said.
Asked why he had to go public as he had the choice of passing the message to the party leadership through the CC, the party's highest decision-making body, he said: "It was my instinct". As party adviser, Keng Yaik is also a CC member.
