DAP delegates’ mood on Aug 16 will determine Loke’s political future, says Chin
PETALING JAYA: Anthony Loke may have taken responsibility for DAP’s Negeri Sembilan setback by resigning as state chairman, but the more significant political test will be whether he retains the confidence of the party grassroots, said political analyst Prof James Chin.
He said a state party leader who does not hold a seat in the state assembly would face limitations in leading the party at the state level, particularly in shaping debates and decision-making processes.
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“His resignation is not him stepping down and running away. The fact is, if you are not in the state assembly, how are you going to lead the party at the state level?
“At the same time, he is giving a chance for younger people to step up, so you really can’t separate leadership from the state and the federal level. He will continue to play a major role in Negeri Sembilan politics.”
Chin said the more significant issue is Loke’s position as DAP secretary-general, which would be tested at the party’s delegates conference on Aug 16.
“We have to wait until Aug 16 to see the mood of the delegates. If he wants to stay on over the long term, it is important that delegates give him some form of vote of confidence or support.”
Chin said Loke’s leadership could face challenges from within the party, particularly from those who criticise his close relationship with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
“There are factions in DAP who are against him. They may use the argument that he is too close to Anwar and is not doing enough as a check and balance on the prime minister’s actions.”
He said some Chinese and Indian voters had expressed disappointment towards the government, particularly over what they perceived as a shift towards more conservative policies.
“When 95% of Chinese and more than 80% of Indians voted for you, they voted for reforms, not for you to play nice with Islamic and conservative forces.”
Chin said Loke’s position has, however, remained consistent that DAP must remain within the government to influence policymaking.
“DAP, as the biggest party in Pakatan Harapan (PH), must stay in government. If you leave the government, you have no voice at the Cabinet level and no voice in policymaking.”
On whether other political leaders should take responsibility for poor election performances, Chin said leaders in Malaysia have traditionally been reluctant to relinquish power.
“Yes, they should, but no, they won’t. In Malaysia, leaders try to hold on to power as long as they can.”
He said while PH had begun soul-searching after previous electoral setbacks, political parties often struggle to implement meaningful changes once they are in power.
“People will see Loke’s resignation as a positive because ordinary voters do not always understand how politics works.”
On Loke’s standing among voters, Chin rejected claims that the DAP leader had lost significant support among non-Malay communities in Negeri Sembilan.
“Do not believe everything you read about him losing support. If you look at the actual voting numbers, DAP has largely retained Chinese support.”
He said the main decline came from some Chinese voters who chose not to participate in the election due to dissatisfaction with the government’s reform agenda.
“The votes that he did not retain were largely from Chinese voters who stayed home because they were unhappy with the reform progress. But overall, DAP performed much better than in Johor.”
