KUALA LUMPUR: Gerakan president Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon urged party members to work hard to prove party adviser Tun Dr Lim Keng Yaik wrong.

Koh said he met with Lim who explained that he (Lim) meant well and his statement was a necessary "shock treatment".

Last week, The Edge Financial Daily ran an interview with Lim in which he said Gerakan would not be able to retake Penang.

"He meant well actually... as a shock treatment to talk about the worst scenario.

"But I also told him the feelings and sentiments of our members on the ground in Penang who have been picking themselves up in the last two years after suffering the political tsunami. They also feel that a statement like that, highlighted so much by the media, does have an impact on them.

"But I would like to advise our members to take this as a challenge, as a way to redouble our effort to emphasise more on our party ideology and, more importantly, on genuine sincere service to the people without thinking of the returns first. Sincerely showing the people that we are providing the service," said Koh after officiating at the inaugural Continuing Professional Development International Conference today.

Koh, who is also the Minister in the Prime Minister's Department in charge of Unity and Performance, said if the members were upset then they should work hard to prove Lim wrong.

"In fact, in my conversation with him, I also said that I am going to advise our members to work hard to prove that he is wrong. Then he said he would like to see that," he added.

Asked if the party would take action against Lim for his statement, Koh retorted: "No. Come on! Any action taken against Tengku Razaleigh [Hamzah]? I think this is a free democratic country. He has made a statement, some members have reacted, we have taken note and let us move on.

"The idea is let's move on. Let's work hard and most importantly, work sincerely without giving people the impression that we are working for some rewards or returns."

He said in the past, DAP in Penang held only one seat for three terms and although Gerakan is in a worse situation (Gerakan lost all its seats in Penang during the March 8, 2008 general election), the party should take it as a challenge.