GEORGE TOWN: The 14th general election, which will be called anytime soon, is set to be a "do or die" battle for Gerakan in Penang, as far as the party is concerned.
Gerakan president Datuk Seri Mah Siew Keong said if the party fails to win any seats in the state, it will be the end for Gerakan in Penang .
"This is a very important general election...in fact, it is set to be the 'Mother of all elections'.
"This is a 'do or die' battle for Gerakan and will spell the end for the party in Penang if we lose just like in the 12th and 13 general elections," he told a press conference here today.
Gerakan, which used to be a dominant party, was totally wiped out in Penang in the 12th and 13th general elections.
The party will maintain status quo and contest in 13 state seats and four parliamentary seats in the coming elections.
Mah said Gerakan has worked extremely hard in Penang despite losing in the last elections and vows that its leaders will continue to work harder in the future.
"We continue to provide assistance to the people. We have also been vocal in many issues.
"We are confident that we will do better in the coming elections," he added, noting that the party is expected to win several seats this time around.
Mah confirmed that there would be no seat swaps between the party and MCA in the state, particularly in the much talked-about Batu Kawan and Bayan Baru.
However, at the national level, discussions are ongoing between both parties involving some four or five seats.
Mah also said that he was not at liberty to announce the names of candidates, pending approval by the Barisan Nasional supreme council, but stressed that the candidates to be fielded are capable leaders with a mixture of the young and experienced as well as multi-racial.
At the national level, the party is contesting in 33 state seats and 12 parliamentary seats, including in Penang.