Gerakan is PN’s internal check and balance, says Lau

Gerakan president Dominic Lau said the party will focus on bread-and-butter issues and local development, while maintaining a multiracial approach and rejecting extreme racial or religious rhetoric.PETALING JAYA: Gerakan remains committed to multiracialism as well as Malaysia’s secular system and will serve as a check and balance within Perikatan Nasional (PN), says Gerakan president Dominic Lau.In an appeal to Bukit Kepayang voters to back Gerakan's sole candidate in the Negeri Sembilan election, Lau said the state assembly needed diverse voices.He said Gerakan would focus on bread-and-butter issues and local development, while rejecting extreme racial or religious rhetoric, Oriental Daily reported."I appeal to the people to give Gerakan a chance. We are a multiracial party and will play our role as a check and balance within PN."We are committed to solving problems pragmatically and focusing on the national economy and issues affecting people’s livelihoods at the local level," said Lau.The former senator said Gerakan would scrutinise the next state government and its policies if elected to represent Bukit Kepayang.He also urged voters to treat the Negeri Sembilan polls as a referendum to voice their dissatisfaction with the federal government’s performance.A defeat for Pakatan Harapan in the Aug 1 polls could potentially shorten the federal government’s term, he added.Lee Boon Shian is Gerakan's sole candidate in the Negeri Sembilan polls. The PN candidate is in a straight fight with DAP's Nicole Tan, who is seeking a third consecutive term as Bukit Kepayang assemblyman.The seat has been DAP's since 2008 but was held by Gerakan for one term from 2004.Chinese voters make up the majority in Bukit Kepayang at 48.3% of the electorate, followed by the Malays (28.2%) and Indians (21.7%).