Malaysia’s DAP votes to stay in government, easing pressure on PM Anwar after state polls setbacks

PUTRAJAYA – Malaysia’s Democratic Action Party (DAP) voted to remain in Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s unity government at its national conference that gathered more than 4,000 delegates, held for the first time in Putrajaya on Aug 16.

The referendum resulted in 1,857 votes in favour of remaining in the Cabinet, 242 votes against, and seven spoilt votes. A total of 2,223 delegates voted, with a turnout of 52.1 per cent.

The choice of Putrajaya, the country’s administrative capital, as the conference venue reflected the party leadership’s determination to remain in federal power. The result cemented its commitment to staying in Anwar’s government.

The decision eases pressure on Anwar, whose administration had faced the prospect of collapse and an early general election following a string of electoral setbacks. Malaysia’s next nationwide polls must be called before February 2028.

With 40 seats in Parliament, the Chinese-dominated DAP is the largest party in the Pakatan Harapan (PH) ruling coalition, making its decision critical to Anwar’s ability to maintain his parliamentary majority and remain in office.

Anwar’s PH has suffered defeats in Sabah and Johor, with its latest setback coming on Aug 1 when it lost control of Negeri Sembilan. The Barisan Nasional (BN)-Perikatan Nasional (PN) electoral pact won the state by avoiding three-cornered fights and banking on a “Malay unity” campaign.

Compounding the coalition’s woes, that alliance dealt a heavy blow to PH heavyweights: Transport Minister Loke lost his three-term Chennah seat, while caretaker chief minister Aminuddin Harun also lost his state assembly seat.

DAP had called for a party-wide referendum on whether it should remain in Anwar’s Cabinet after failing to win any of the eight seats it contested in the Sabah state election in November 2025.

DAP delegates divided over decision to stay

All 14 state delegates who participated in the debate session before the poll at 1pm supported the party to stay in the government.

Perak delegate Jason Ng pointed out that political opponents, such as the Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA) and PN, led by Parti Islam SeMalaysia (PAS), would have benefited from DAP’s walkout.

“We don’t give up despite losing a series of state elections. PM Anwar should implement the unfulfilled promises of reform,” he told delegates.

Another Perak delegate, Soo Hoo Zheyang, agreed, telling The Straits Times: “We can only shout empty slogans outside the system and can’t make changes within the system.”

Perak DAP was the only state whose leaders collectively agreed to stay in the federal government.

Among the discussed reforms raised in the debate were increasing the minimum threshold for e-invoicing, and reverting the subsidised RON95 petrol and diesel quota to 300 litres from the existing 200 litres. The former is a major concern among ethnic Chinese small and medium-sized enterprise owners, who worry that it would increase their cost of doing business.

On the other hand, Kuala Lumpur DAP delegate Sangeet Kaur Deo called on the DAP central executive committee to review its relationship with Anwar, accusing the latter of “pitting allies against each other” by empowering UMNO, that leads BN.

She urged DAP leaders in the Cabinet to speak up about grassroots dissatisfaction with the government.

“If we must be in the opposition again, at least we have laid the basis to regain our credibility. The bottom line is that we stay, but for a different reason,” Sangeet told delegates, who applauded in support.

Two delegates, who requested anonymity to avoid affecting party unity, told ST that they were keen for DAP to quit the government.

Meanwhile, a Penang delegate who wished to be known as Louise Tan, 44, said DAP ministers and leaders’ belief that the party can win the next general election simply by providing good constituency service and implementing good policies is merely wishful thinking.

“We should prioritise the party by recruiting more members rather than focusing on administering the country,” she said.

A Selangor delegate, who wished to be known as Tan, 42, said she was in Putrajaya to vote to quit as a way of expressing her anger towards Anwar. “We need to proactively express our views rather than remain passive,” she said.