It is an open secret within political circles that Lim Guan Eng’s influence in the Democratic Action Party (DAP) has waned in recent years.
Once the undisputed supremo of the party, the former Penang chief minister and finance minister now finds himself on the political fringe, while current secretary-general Anthony Loke commands the DAP machinery with near-total confidence.
In the recent DAP Central Executive Committee (CEC) elections, Lim barely secured a seat, coming in 26th out of 30 with 1,719 votes. For a man who once personified DAP’s combative opposition style, it was a significant fall from grace.
Lim’s allies fared no better — RSN Rayer, Teresa Kok, and even his sister Lim Hui Ying failed to make the list, with Hui Ying missing the final slot by just 11 votes.
Following the election, Lim was reassigned from the mostly symbolic position as the party chairman to the even weaker “adviser” role. Meanwhile, the new DAP leadership lineup, topped by Gobind Singh Deo, Chong Chien Jen, Teo Nie Ching, Ng Suee Lim, and Anthony Loke, represents a new generation of pragmatic administrators.
For many, this marks the clear end of the Lim dynasty within DAP’s leadership hierarchy.
A Political Lifeline for Lim
Despite his reduced position in the party, Lim recently received a political lifeline fro an unexpected source.
In August, Lim was appointed honorary chairman of the ASEAN-China Association for the Promotion of Industrial Cooperation and Development (ACAPICD), a body formed to strengthen ASEAN-China trade ties ahead of Malaysia’s ASEAN chairmanship in 2025.
The appointment letter, dated August 25, was signed by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and issued by his chief private secretary, Datuk Shahrol Anuwar Sarman. Following the appointment, the Sessions Court allowed the permanent return of Lim’s passport — previously held since 2020 in connection with his ongoing court cases — to facilitate his new “official duties.”
The decision was made despite prosecution objections.
While the appointment carries diplomatic and economic objectives, the political significance in the gesture cannot be missed — it is a sign that the Prime Minister remains open to engaging figures from within DAP’s older guard, including those currently out of favour in the party’s internal power structure.
Analysts: A Balancing Move, Not a Challenge
Anwar Ibrahim has long been known for his ability to maintain equilibrium within a multi-party coalition.
Seen from one perspective, Lim Guan Eng’s federal appointment could be interpreted as part of a broader balancing strategy — one that ensures continued inclusion of veteran DAP figures even as the party’s new generation consolidates control.
This interpretation aligns with Anwar’s broader coalition politics since taking office, where maintaining internal stability has required both rewarding loyalty and keeping key players from feeling marginalised.
Seen from another perspective however, it could also indicate a divide-and-rule policy, where you keep two potential leaders in a political party you depend on in their position, so you can be ensured that neither of them will become too confident, to the point that they are willing to challenge your power and position.
Anthony Loke’s Consolidation of Power
Anthony Loke currently leads one of the most unified DAP leadership teams in years. Under his stewardship, the party has stabilised relations with the government, built credibility among the business community, and maintained its strong electoral base among urban and non-Malay voters.
Loke’s pragmatic leadership style, focusing on governance over rhetoric, has helped reposition DAP as a reliable partner within the unity government. Gobind Singh Deo, Teo Nie Ching, and other senior figures play significant roles in this transformation, reflecting a shift from DAP’s combative opposition days toward a more institutional, policy-driven identity.
Yet, as analysts note, dominance within a coalition can be a double-edged sword. A powerful and unified DAP provides Anwar with stable non-Malay support, but it also makes managing coalition dynamics more delicate.
This is where symbolic gestures, such as Lim’s appointment, can serve to maintain broader representation across party factions — ensuring inclusivity without undermining leadership.
Pragmatism Over Politics
Anwar’s approach on one hand, could be an example of a “pragmatic coalition management.” It is a case of him demonstrating a willingness to engage with a wide spectrum of figures — from veterans like Zahid Hamidi to reformist technocrats — to sustain political balance and continuity.
In that light, Lim Guan Eng’s appointment can be seen less as an act of political favouritism and more as a continuation of Anwar’s inclusive governance style.
After all, as political history often shows, stability in a coalition government depends not only on policy but also on perception — ensuring that no segment of one’s allies feels excluded or irrelevant.
On the other hand however, it could also be seen as Anwar playing the realpolitik game of divide-and-rule.
By keeping figures like Zahid Hamidi — who is the president of Umno and another party that Anwar depends on to hold on to power - although Zahid has faced multiple corruption charges, and who only has a DNAA (discharge not amounting to acquittal) in his court cases, where his charges can, at any time, be reopened - as well as keeping the political relevance of someone like Lim Guan Eng intact, although Lim Guan Eng has clearly lost the favour of his own party, Anwar can ensure that there is no one in the party that he depends on for support, that will so strong or confident, that they might be tempted to challenge his rule.
A Calculated Equilibrium
In Malaysia’s evolving political landscape, power is rarely absolute. What appears as rivalry or favouritism on the surface often reflects a deeper calculus — one shaped by coalition arithmetic, institutional memory, and public perception.
By giving Lim Guan Eng a formal platform, the Prime Minister may be killing two birds with one stone - on one hand , he is not trying to undermine DAP’s current leadership but simply reinforcing a principle he has long practised: keep everyone within the tent, while on the on the other hand, he might also be playing a more direct political game, one that is more in tune with the more brutal and competitive aspect of human nature - to ensure that his power and position remain firmly within his grasp.
In the end, Anwar’s balancing act — between old loyalties and new leaderships, between institutional power and personal influence — between the need to carry the torch of reformasi and the need to keep the more animal aspect of human nature in check - remains the cornerstone of his political survival.
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