DAP likely to be ‘flexible’ so as to retain principles

The Democratic Action Party (DAP) is considering a strategy that would allow it to remain within Pakatan Harapan (PH) but retain its independence, an analyst has said. DAP secretary-general Loke Siew Fook has indicated that the party is not ruling out the possibility of contesting the next general election on its own rather than as part of PH.

This approach, according to Sunway University analyst Wong Chin Huat, would provide DAP with flexibility to continue working with PKR and Amanah while still remaining in the opposition bloc should their allies decide to form pacts with Umno and PAS.

Wong noted that such flexibility will be crucial in the lead-up to the 16th general election, as DAP needs allies capable of appealing to voters from various backgrounds. At the same time, the party must contend with challenges posed by Barisan Nasional (BN) and Bersatu, as well as the risk of low voter turnout if PH chooses to join an Umno or PAS-led coalition.

Loke's remarks come in response to the possibility of DAP contesting the next election independently. Ahmad Fauzi Abdul Hamid, from Universiti Sains Malaysia, believes that DAP supporters and grassroots members will not be concerned about the party becoming the opposition once more. He argued that elected representatives from DAP would be more vocal in addressing issues affecting the public, particularly the underprivileged, who form a significant portion of the party's base.

However, Fauzi also mentioned a perceived gap between the DAP leadership and grassroots opinions on forming a unity government. While leadership sees the benefits of being part of a unity government to implement certain policies, grassroots members prioritize the freedom to be more outspoken on issues without compromising their principles. Party leaders will need to bridge this gap to convince supporters of the advantages of being part of a unity government.