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SHAH ALAM - Bentong Member of Parliament Young Syefura Othman and Bangi Member of Parliament Syahredzan Johan are among two names seen as potential candidates to replace Anthony Loke should he insist on stepping down as Transport Minister.
Political analyst Dr Ahmad Zaharuddin Sani Ahmad Sabri said the two young DAP leaders have political backgrounds suitable for consideration if the party continues to be given the portfolio.
He said apart from Young Syefura and Syahredzan, there is also a possibility that the portfolio could be considered for another DAP leader should Loke actually step down.
"I see Syahredzan moving up and perhaps Nga Kor Ming could move to the Transport Ministry.
"But Anthony may step down and Syahredzan comes in - that could be an interesting question. Because the Transport Ministry is somewhat of a legacy for them (DAP). Besides that, Rara (Young Syefura) could also be considered," he told Sinar on Sunday.
Previously, Anthony offered to resign as Transport Minister following the decision to grant a conditional pardon to former Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.
Zaharuddin said the selection of Loke's replacement could also be viewed from the perspective of DAP's representation and image, particularly in showcasing more Malay leaders in the party's leadership.
He said if the Transport portfolio continued to be allocated to DAP under the Unity Government formula, there would be a political basis for the position to be held by a representative of the party.
However, he said the final decision remained with the Prime Minister.
At the same time, he said what was more important was not merely who would replace Loke, but the political message conveyed through the decision.
"Loke may lose his position, but DAP gains something else - a symbol that they still have a red line.
"Ironically, what appears to be DAP distancing itself from the government may actually be DAP's way of ensuring that the government continues to survive. And this is what I think many have overlooked," he said.
He said DAP did not necessarily have to choose between principles and power, but was instead trying to maintain both, with the political cost borne by one leader.
According to him, what was more interesting to observe was DAP's decision to remain in the government despite Loke offering to resign.
He said DAP has five ministers and seven deputy ministers in the Cabinet, but only Loke had offered to leave the government over the issue.
"Why? This is where I think DAP is playing on two chessboards simultaneously. The first is principles, while the second is the country and governing power," he said.
He said from the perspective of principles, DAP had since 2018 built part of its political legitimacy around the 1MDB issue, accountability and demands for those responsible to be brought to justice.
As such, he said Loke's offer to resign could be seen as a symbol of the party's stance on the issue, while the decision to retain its other ministers and deputy ministers showed that DAP had chosen not to take action that could trigger a crisis within the government.
