DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke apologises over his defeat in Chennah, saying the party must work harder to win support from Malay and Orang Asli voters and overcome racial barriers
PUTRAJAYA: DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke apologised to party delegates today over his defeat in the Chennah state constituency in the recent Negri Sembilan election, acknowledging that the party still faced a difficult task in winning wider support among Malay and Orang Asli voters.
Loke, who had held Chennah for three consecutive terms, lost the seat in the Aug 1 state election, ending his 12-year tenure as the constituency’s assemblyman.
He said he had contested the predominantly Malay seat not for personal victory, but to demonstrate that DAP could win support across racial lines and establish a foothold in a Malay-majority constituency.
“I apologise to the delegates for the defeat in Chennah.
“We did not get high support from Malay voters, although we received around 20 to 25 per cent. We also did not get high support from the Orang Asli community,” he said in his speech at DAP’s 18th National Congress here.
Loke said the result presented a major challenge for DAP, particularly in breaking through racial barriers that continued to shape voting patterns.
“This is a big challenge for DAP — how do we break through this wall so that our political journey can go further?” he said.
He said the party needed to confront the issue and find ways to overcome racial divisions rather than allow the defeat to derail its political ambitions.
Loke also urged delegates and party activists not to be discouraged by the Chennah defeat or a string of recent electoral setbacks.
“Elections have victories and defeats,” he said, noting that DAP had six decades of electoral experience and had suffered numerous losses during its early years.
“But we did not give up and we continued moving forward.”
Loke urged party members to treat the setbacks as lessons and a source of inspiration, saying DAP’s long-term prospects depended on its ability to remain resilient.
“As long as we do not give up, the future of DAP will be accepted by the majority of Malaysians.
“We shall never give up,” he said.
