By Parkaran Kutty
DAP secretary Anthony Loke has decided to be the fall guy in the aftermath of the semi-pardon granted by the King to former prime minister Najib Razak. He says his move is to ensure the party takes responsibility in some ways for allowing this to happen while preventing a major political upheaval by deciding that the four other ministers remain in the Cabinet.
Transport minister Loke has taken this step to ensure the DAP as a party will not be attacked by Malay leaders from all other parties if all Cabinet ministers stood down or the party withdraws from the ruling coalition. There will be cries of derhaka (treason) from its rivas for taking such an action to protest against the King’s decision.
Let’s be absolutely clear about what happened in the 15th General Election (GE15). The rakyat did not vote for DAP alone—they voted for a Pakatan Harapan (PH) government. The mandate was collective, built on a coalition promise of reform, good governance, and institutional renewal.
DAP is a crucial pillar of that coalition, but the mandate belongs to the entire PH family and, by extension, the broader Madani government.
The reasons why DAP managed to win 40 of the 222 parliamentary seats at the 2022 general election is clear. Besides wanting tangible reforms, the voters wanted Malaysia to be sold to the world as a multi-racial and multi-cultural government that abhors religious fundamentalism.
DAP’s partnership with multi-racial PKR and Amanah, a Muslim-based party that takes a middle path, showcases to the whole world that Malaysia is a vibrant democracy that is opposed to any form of fundamentalism. Malaysia needs this partnership to stop groups pushing for a theocracy rule.
How the ruling government performed should be left to the rakyat at the next general election (GE16). To walk away now would be to abandon a collective promise before it has been fulfilled. The voters who cast their ballots for PH candidates in 2022 did so with the expectation that the coalition would see through its full term.
DAP cannot unilaterally decide that the job is done or that the circumstances no longer suit them. That would be a betrayal of the trust placed not just in DAP, but in the entire PH government.
The rakyat must understand that meaningful reform is not a sprint; it is a marathon. Institutional change—whether in the judiciary, anti-corruption frameworks, education policy, or local government—requires time, patience, and sustained political will. The Madani government has already begun this work, but the fruits of reform are not always visible within a single term.
Yes, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and the government have bungled a number of times, but they has also put certain things in order. Most of the corrupt practices or hidden criminal elements being dug up now happened when the previous governments were in power as we can see clearly. If DAP leaves now, it would cut short the reform agenda mid-stream, leaving half-finished initiatives vulnerable to reversal.
This will give ammunition to the opposition, who would frame DAP as an unreliable partner incapable of commitment. On the economic front, it will disrupt the stability that Malaysia desperately needs to attract investment, strengthen the economy, and rebuild public confidence in governance.
The moral responsibility of DAP is not to seek the easiest path, but to see the work through even if there is only a maximum of 18 months for the next general election. The rakyat will judge the government at GE16—not before.
Vested interest
It is no secret that DAP leaders include individuals with vested interests—ministers, deputy ministers, government-linked appointees, councillors, and even ketua kampung. This is not unique to DAP; it is the nature of political parties in government.
But this reality cuts both ways.
If DAP leaves, these leaders will lose their positions, and the disruption would be felt at every level of governance—from federal ministries down to local councils. So on this score alone, I believe most Malaysians – except for opposition supporters – would want them to remain rather than leave.
They are the ones who can push reforms from within, ensure implementation at the grassroots, and prove to the rakyat that DAP in government makes a tangible difference.
Let the rakyat decide in GE16
DAP has a moral responsibility not to pre-empt the people's judgment. It must complete the term, present a record of achievements, and go back to the rakyat at GE16 with humility and confidence.
Leaving now would be seen by significant number of its supporters as an act of political cowardice—an admission that DAP cannot handle the pressures of governance. It would also be an act of arrogance, assuming that DAP knows better than the voters what is good for the country.
Yes, there is a segment of the DAP support base which has been hitting the party leadership hard for not pushing for reforms, but this is normal in any democracy.
Instead of compounding matters by leaving the government but back Anwar Ibrahim as prime minister at the same time, the right approach should be staying in the government and continue working, list out every achievement, acknowledge shortcomings honestly and present it to the people before GE16.
Letting people decide every five years is Malaysian democracy.
Leaving the government mid-stream will definitely destabilise the government to a great extent. Is that the outcome DAP wants? Is that the legacy DAP wishes to leave? It will be a regression of everything DAP has fought for: multiculturalism, meritocracy, rule of law, and institutional integrity. It will definitely not be seen as a heroic act by most Malaysians.
Leaving now would be a betrayal. Staying and delivering is the moral responsibility. At GE16, DAP can stand before the people and say: "We stayed. We worked. We delivered. Now, you decide."
That is democracy. And the rakyat deserve the final say.
Parkaran Kutty (parkarank@gmail.com) 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!
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