Transport Minister Anthony Loke has dismissed a recent suggestion from his fellow party member, Kampar MP Chong Zhemin, that the Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA) should dissolve and merge with the Democratic Action Party (DAP). Labeling it as a personal opinion, Loke emphasized that the idea holds no weight within the party and has never been considered in any official capacity.
Speaking to reporters at a community event in Seremban, Loke made it clear that the proposal “doesn’t arise” and does not reflect the DAP's leadership or strategic direction. “That is Chong Zhemin’s individual perspective,” Loke said. “It is not something the party has discussed, and frankly, I don’t see it as a realistic scenario.”
His remarks followed media coverage of Chong’s bold statement suggesting MCA, which currently holds just two parliamentary seats, should hand them back to Umno and join DAP in the spirit of promoting a more inclusive, just, and progressive Malaysia. Chong had criticized MCA for allegedly clinging to political life by relying on Umno's voter base, despite losing support from the Chinese community.
Loke, who also serves as DAP’s secretary-general and MP for Seremban, took a more measured stance, respecting Chong's right to express his views but reiterating that such dramatic political realignments are not on the party’s radar.
He made these comments during a high-tea event that also included a ceremony to award incentives to 219 top-performing SPM students from the Seremban parliamentary constituency — a gesture Loke said reflected the government’s commitment to education and youth development.
Loke’s firm response effectively puts to rest any immediate speculation of a political merger between the DAP and MCA, both of which have historically been rivals within Malaysia’s multiracial political framework. While DAP has surged in popularity, particularly among urban and Chinese voters, MCA has seen its influence wane, prompting ongoing debates about its future direction.
For now, DAP’s stance remains focused on governance, unity, and gradual reform — not political mergers.
FlyingBird is a content creator under the Newswav Creator programme, where you get to express yourself, be a citizen journalist, and at the same time monetize your content & reach millions of users on Newswav. Log in to creator.newswav.com and become a Newswav Creator now!
The User Content (as defined on Newswav Terms of Use) above including the views expressed and media (pictures, videos, citations etc) were submitted & posted by the author. Newswav is solely an aggregation platform that hosts the User Content. If you have any questions about the content, copyright or other issues of the work, please contact creator@newswav.com.