The candidate, lawyer and former journalist Charles CJ Chow quit the movement today and said he would no longer offer himself as an independent in the Subang parliamentary constituency in the next general election.

He said he agreed with the movement’s reform goals but there were differences on how to achieve them.

The movement said it would carry on without him. A founder of Gerak, Tawfik Ismail, said Chow had been uncomfortable with the reaction to his candidacy in the next general election.

“Perhaps it is just as well,” he said. “If you can’t take the heat, best stay out of the kitchen”.

Tawfik said the movement had no other candidate for Subang yet.

Chow was one of six independent candidates announced by Gerak this week. The others  are human rights lawyer and activist Siti Kasim, Wangsa Maju resident Raveentheran Suntheralingam, activist KJ John, Sabah-based lawyer Roland Cheng and Tawfik.