DAP annual conference on September 10 in Putrajaya, Umno and other unity govt parties invited

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 4 — DAP will hold its National Conference 2023 on September 10 at the Putrajaya Marriott Hotel.

This will be DAP’s first party conference since it formed the unity government with other parties and coalitions. National organising secretary Steven Sim said DAP has invited all parties and coalitions in the unity government to the conference, including Umno, MCA, PKR and Amanah.

“The National Conference 2023 is DAP’s annual general meeting.

“We have invited all the component parties in the unity government. We also invited the prime minister to attend,” he said during a press conference at DAP headquarters here today. He said that representatives from as many as 1,500 branches nationwide are slated to attend the conference, and that the total number of eligible delegates is 3,868.

Sim also stated that all members of Parliament, assemblymen and senators are also considered eligible representatives, in addition to representatives from the branch level.

“This is a slight addition from last year’s special congress in September. At the special congress, the number of delegates was 3,672. For this year’s annual conference, more have been added,” he said.

He said a wide array of matters will be discussed at the conference, including internal party issues, party policies, and the party’s direction concerning unity government policies, economic development policies, and other matters affecting the public as well as discussions regarding the establishment of a unity government at both the central and state levels.

On the same note, Sim emphasised that the conference is the appropriate platform for members to raise and discuss the party’s Secular State agenda and the ‘Malaysian Malaysia’ slogan issue.

“If Malaysia is not for Malaysians, who is Malaysia for?” he asked.

“That is a struggle to dignify Malaysians in this country. If there are members who want to raise this issue, this conference is the place and space for it.”

Last Saturday, DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke said that DAP does not need to drop the Secular State agenda and the ‘Malaysian Malaysia’ slogan because before the unity government was formed, all parties made an agreement and agreed not to touch the principles and constitution of their respective parties.

He also said that DAP has never asked other parties to amend the constitution because all parties have their own struggle principles or ideologies.