Beyond stay or leave, who really has power inside DAP? — Khoo Ying Hooi

On August 14, a major question emerged ahead of DAP's congress: should the party remain in government or withdraw? Delegates from 4,264 branches will vote on August 16, with the decision weighing heavily on the party's future. However, the conversation often overlooks the transformation that has taken place inside DAP since its transition from opposition to government.

The Lim family, once the party's defining influence, has gradually lost its dominant position. Lim Kit Siang retired, while Guan Eng, his daughter Lim Hui Ying, and other family members now occupy key roles in the party and government. The 2025 CEC election showed a shift in power, with more government office-holders occupying important CEC positions.

This raises a crucial question: has power become more dispersed, or simply reconfigured around new actors? The CEC, DAP's highest decision-making body, is now led by government figures, blurring the lines between party and government influence. So, while Sunday's vote determines whether DAP stays in government, the real issue is the nature of DAP's relationship with executive power.

Should senior leaders continue to exercise power directly, or create distance from the government while still supporting it? This shift may not fundamentally alter Anwar Ibrahim's administration, but it raises the question of who truly holds political weight inside DAP to shape its direction.