Gerakan

Gerakan, officially Parti Gerakan Rakyat Malaysia and commonly known as Gerakan, is a political party in Malaysia. Founded in 1968 in Penang by Lim Chong Eu and other activists, it developed as a national party with a focus on development, governance reform, and multiracial political engagement. The party joined the Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition in 1973 and remained a component party for several decades.

At the state level, Gerakan played a major role in Penang, contributing to the state government for many years after winning the 1969 state election. Lim Chong Eu, who later served as Chief Minister of Penang, was a key figure in the party’s early leadership. Over time, the party’s influence waned as other parties gained strength, most notably in Penang where the opposition made significant gains in the 2000s and finally took power in 2008.

Nationally, Gerakan held parliamentary seats while BN governed, but its electoral fortunes declined in the 2000s and 2010s. The party is generally characterized as a centrist, moderate organization that emphasizes governance, development, and national unity, with a history of advocating multiracial cooperation within Malaysia’s political system.

Today, Gerakan is a minor party within Malaysia’s broader political landscape. Its activities are focused on party organization, local issues, and cooperation with other groups within or outside BN-era coalitions, depending on the evolving Malaysian political context.