Former DAP MP Ong Kian Ming believes quitting the federal Cabinet may help the party regain credibility among its traditional supporters after a series of electoral setbacks, but warned that the political costs would outweigh any potential gains.
He said such a move could jeopardise DAP’s control of the Penang government and its participation in the Selangor administration.
Ong also said leaving the government would make it more difficult for DAP to campaign for Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim in the next general election.
He made the remarks when asked about the party’s options following Pakatan Harapan’s (PH) defeat in the Negeri Sembilan election last Saturday.
One of the biggest setbacks for DAP was the defeat of secretary-general Anthony Loke in Chennah, a seat he had held since 2013. The party also lost the Repah state seat.
According to Ong, the outcome resulted from several factors, including DAP’s inability to mobilise its supporters, particularly Chinese voters, at the same level as Malay voters.
He also said PH struggled to counter the Malay unity narrative promoted by Barisan Nasional (BN) and Perikatan Nasional (PN).
Party congress seen as opportunity for reflection
Following the election, Loke said he was considering stepping down as Negeri Sembilan DAP chairman.
However, Ong said neither Loke’s resignation nor DAP’s withdrawal from the Anwar-led administration would produce immediate improvements.
“The DAP congress on Aug 16 will present an opportunity for delegates to debate the party’s direction, but leaving the Cabinet should not be viewed as an immediate solution,” he said.
DAP deputy secretary-general Ramkarpal Singh also rejected suggestions that Loke alone should be blamed for the party’s defeat in Negeri Sembilan.
“There are a number of factors.
“In terms of DAP’s performance, Loke led the party well in Negeri Sembilan,” he said.
Ramkarpal acknowledged that losing the two seats was disappointing, but stressed that the coalition’s overall performance and its ability to meet voters’ expectations, both in Negeri Sembilan and at the federal level, also needed to be examined.
He said these issues should be discussed ahead of the party’s congress and added that DAP respected the election outcome while thanking voters for their support.
Analysts urge reforms within PH
While some observers believe DAP’s future may lie outside PH, Universiti Sains Malaysia political analyst Sivamurugan Pandian cautioned that such a move would be a double-edged sword.
He said leaving the coalition could give DAP a clearer political identity, but it could also reduce the party’s influence and leave it open to accusations of contributing to political instability.
“The bigger issue is whether DAP can reform within the coalition,” he said.
Sivamurugan added that although restructuring was necessary, withdrawing from PH or Anwar’s Cabinet might not be the right solution.
Instead, he said the DAP congress on Aug 16 should be used to reassess the party’s strategy, leadership and electoral support before making any major decisions.
