AUG 4 — After the Sabah and Johor elections, some began to question whether DAP was on the path to political irrelevance. They saw the poll results as evidence that the party’s political influence was waning. In my earlier writings, I cautioned against treating state election results as a definitive measure of DAP’s future.
The recently concluded Negeri Sembilan election has reinforced that view.
Let us be clear: Pakatan Harapan lost the state government, with DAP losing two seats, including Chennah, where party secretary-general Anthony Loke was defeated by a razor-thin 688 votes. PKR won two seats, down from five previously, while Amanah failed to retain its sole seat. These outcomes are sobering and should not be trivialised. Loke has since resigned as Negeri Sembilan DAP chairman.
Yet, beyond Chennah, a Malay-majority mixed seat, the overall picture is more nuanced than the headlines suggest.
DAP retained nine of the 11 seats it contested. Many were defended with respectable, and in some cases convincing, majorities. The Negeri Sembilan result shows that DAP’s support remains more resilient than some had anticipated.
DAP continues to possess a core base, grassroots organisation and political identity that still resonate with voters. Preliminary analyses from the polls show that support among the party’s traditional base remains firm, despite a slight dip that is not uncommon in electoral politics.
The losses in Chennah and Repah also reflect broader national political realignments that first became evident in Johor and may continue to influence future elections.
The truth is, DAP has faced darker moments before. In the 1999 general election, Lim Kit Siang (now Tan Sri), then the party’s secretary-general and parliamentary Opposition leader, lost both the Bukit Bendera parliamentary and Kebun Bunga state seats in Penang. The DAP then only won 10 parliamentary seats. This led many to question whether the party could recover from such a severe setback.
But the party did not disappear. It rebuilt, adapted and pressed on. Nine years later, DAP was part of the Pakatan Rakyat breakthrough which denied Barisan Nasional its traditional two-thirds majority in Parliament for the first time in nearly four decades. The poll also marked a turning point in Malaysian politics that eventually culminated in PH’s seizure of Putrajaya in 2018.
I do not, for a moment, doubt that DAP will rise again from this current setback. The task now is to assess it honestly and turn it into an opportunity for renewal. We are at a pivotal crossroads, perhaps the most consequential since the party’s founding in 1965.
A key question is whether we should focus on consolidating our core supporters, or reach beyond our existing base, and if so, how far and in what way. The DAP National Congress on Aug 16 therefore comes at a crucial time. It must be more than a platform to analyse electoral numbers or exchange familiar talking points. It should be an opportunity for honest soul-searching about the party’s direction, including whether to remain in the Madani government.
Should DAP become more combative, or should it take a more conciliatory approach to appeal to a broader cross-section of Malaysians? How can we further improve our outreach, especially among our non-core supporters? Are we prepared to accept short-term tactical setbacks in pursuit of longer-term gains, and if so, how far are we willing to go? Do we need to fine-tune the party rejuvenation exercise?
We must also be prepared to ask ourselves difficult questions about our alliances. Political co-operation is often necessary in a fragmented political landscape. But co-operation must serve a purpose beyond preserving the façade of a coalition, or securing and retaining positions. Should DAP continue refining its coalition strategy, and if so, what are the trade-offs?
Above all, DAP must be clear about its red lines. Good governance, equality, institutional reforms, educational advancement and socio-economic progress must remain non-negotiable. These are values that transcend race and have drawn supporters to the party for decades.
At the same time, elections are not won by speaking only to those who already support us. They are won by expanding the coalition of Malaysians willing to place their trust in us. That means not only defending our principles, but communicating them in ways that resonate with those beyond our traditional base. Renewal should therefore be about broadening our appeal without diluting the values that define us.
How the party defends these principles, while widening its appeal in a more complex political environment, will determine the course it takes from here.
Negeri Sembilan is a reminder that the DAP still has real strength, but also that its old formula may no longer be enough for the future. The rocket still flies. Now it must choose its course.
* Ben Fong Kok Seng is the DAP Federal Territory Kuala Lumpur Treasurer.
** This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of Malay Mail.
