DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke Siew Fook says the party will remain in the Madani Government and push for key reforms during Parliament’s October sitting.
PETALING JAYA: DAP will remain in the Madani Federal Government until the end of the current parliamentary term, following a mandate endorsed by party delegates at its National Congress last month.
DAP secretary-general Loke Siew Fook said the party’s Central Executive Committee (CEC), at its first meeting following the Aug 16 National Congress, had respected and accepted the delegates’ decision and would carry out the mandate responsibly.
He said DAP would continue working to ensure various reform agendas under the Madani Government were implemented.
“CEC respects the decision made by the delegates and is determined to implement the mandate responsibly.
“DAP will continue to strive to ensure that various reform agendas can be implemented,” he said in a statement today.
Loke said two key reform agendas involving amendments to the Federal Constitution should be debated and decided by Parliament during its upcoming October sitting.
The two reforms involve the separation of powers between the Attorney-General and Public Prosecutor, and setting a term limit for the Prime Minister.
“CEC takes the position that these two important reform agendas should be debated and decided in Parliament during the upcoming sitting in October,” he said.
On state-level reforms, Loke said the CEC had also called on the Penang state government, led by Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow, to introduce a Constituency Development Fund enactment.
He said the mechanism should ensure fair and equal treatment for all Penang state assemblymen, regardless of political affiliation, particularly in the allocation of constituency development funds.
DAP also believes the same principle should be extended to the Federal Government and implemented by all state governments nationwide.
“Constituency development allocations should be distributed equally, regardless of the political background of the elected representative,” he said.
Loke said the CEC meeting also discussed the party’s preparations for the upcoming Melaka and Sarawak state elections.
He said DAP would make the necessary preparations to defend all seats currently held by the party, while also identifying other constituencies where it could potentially contest.
The Sept 7 CEC meeting was the first held following the party’s National Congress on Aug 16, where delegates passed a motion mandating the party leadership to remain in the Madani Federal Government until the end of the current parliamentary term.
