DAP must rebuild beyond traditional base for GE16, says Loke

DAP secretary-general Loke Siew Fook revealed that the party must expand its support beyond its traditional Chinese base for the upcoming general election (GE16), while still retaining its core Chinese electorate. Loe, speaking to Singapore's The Straits Times, expressed confidence that DAP can retain around 80% of Chinese voter support, based on recent state election results, though he acknowledged the ambitious goal of achieving 90% was unrealistic.

Loe emphasized that DAP will never take Chinese support for granted, and stressed the importance of consensus-building among coalition partners due to Malaysian political dynamics. He acknowledged that while DAP cannot form a government alone, it must cooperate with other parties to advance its agenda. Loe also commented on the emergence of Bersama, stating that third forces and idealistic parties often fail to sustain momentum in Malaysian politics, citing Muda as the latest example.

Despite this, he did not rule out potential collaborations, citing DAP's partnership with Umno after the 2022 general election as an example. Loe further stated that while the party intends to maintain its alliance with the People’s Alliance (PH), it would be open to contesting the federal election on its own if circumstances dictated.

He expressed confidence that the Malay unity narrative pushed by Umno and PAS would not endure, citing the present royal crisis in Negeri Sembilan as evidence. Loe also explained his decision to resign as transport minister over Najib Razak's conditional pardon, explaining that he would leave office immediately upon the prime minister's re-arrest.