PRIME Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad will attend Gerakan’s Chinese New Year open house in Kuala Lumpur this Saturday, the party’s president Dr Dominic Lau said.

Lau told The Malaysian Insight that Gerakan received notice from the Prime Minister’s Department yesterday, confirming Dr Mahathir’s attendance in response to the party’s invitation.

The event will be held at its party headquarters at Menara PGRM on Jalan Pudu, on the first day of the new year.

“We are surprised that the Prime Minister has agreed to attend but of course we welcome him to our gathering and activities,” Lau said.

Upon receiving notice from the PM’s department, Lau said the party leadership held an urgent meeting to make adjustments to the event’s schedule and to incorporate security measures.

Gerakan invites the sitting prime minister to its Chinese New Year open house each year, even after the change in government in 2018.

“It is Gerakan’s tradition. Do not speculate anything,” he said when asked why he thought Dr Mahathir had agreed to come this year.

“Gerakan welcomes anyone who believes in cooperation and working for the people, and in promoting national unity and harmony.”

The party quit Barisan Nasional in June 2018, soon after the general election that saw the alliance lose federal power for the first time in more than 60 years.

Gerakan did not win a single parliamentary or state seat in the 2018 polls, leaving it without any representation in Parliament for the first time.

Gerakan fielded a candidate in the Tanjung Piai by-election in November last year, with Lau saying it was part of the party’s attempts at reviving itself and seeing where it stood among voters.

Its candidate Wendy Subramaniam, polled the third-highest number of votes in a six-cornered fight, but still trailed far behind BN and Pakatan Harapan candidates. 

BN’s Wee Jeck Seng won the by-election. – January 23, 2020.