At DAP congress, most delegates back staying in Anwar govt, urge faster reforms

 

PUTRAJAYA, Aug 16 — DAP delegates debating whether the party should remain in the federal government today have largely backed staying until the end of the current term, while urging Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to accelerate reforms promised to Malaysians.

Speaking during the party’s national congress here, several delegates argued that leaving the unity government now would amount to abandoning voters and handing political advantage to rival parties.

Perak delegate and Sitiawan assemblyman Jason Ng Thien Yeong said his position was simple: DAP should remain in the government until the end of the term.

“Previously, we fought and kept fighting until we won. Now that we have won, do we want to run away? No. We should stay once again,” he said.

Ng acknowledged DAP’s setbacks in the recent state elections in Sabah, Johor and Negeri Sembilan, but said the defeats should prompt the party to push harder for change rather than leave the government.

“We have to accept that this unity government has weaknesses. We need to accept that changes must be made, and we should urge our leaders and the PM to implement the reforms promised to the people, instead of leaving the government and disappointing the people even more,” he said.

He also questioned who would benefit if DAP walked away.

“If we leave, who benefits? Who will be happy? The answer may be MCA, PAS or Perikatan Nasional, which may take over the federal government after this,” he said.

Penang delegate Daniel Gooi Zi Sen, meanwhile, stressed the importance of political stability, pointing to the disruption caused by the Sheraton Move in 2020.

He said major projects had stalled during the period of political instability, while projects such as the LRT were now moving forward under the current administration.

“We cannot let political turmoil happen again,” he said, before asking delegates: “Did we fail as a federal government? Did we not do our job?”

Gooi’s argument was that the party should not disregard the progress made under the unity government despite its shortcomings.

Sarawak delegate Soo Tien Ren said he too would vote for DAP to remain in government, warning that leaving now would amount to “political suicide”.

“If we leave now, we will be committing political suicide. We will be abandoning Malaysians who believe in us, and abandoning our responsibility to correct our own mistakes,” he said.

However, Soo cautioned that merely remaining in Cabinet without clearly demonstrating what reforms DAP was pursuing could also prove politically damaging.

“If we stay, and all we can say is we remain in Cabinet and push for more reforms, but without telling Malaysians the reforms and the target, then staying turns into immediate political suicide and into slow political death.

“Between immediate suicide and slow death, I choose neither. I choose this party to survive and recover.”

Soo said DAP must acknowledge that it had not performed well enough and push Anwar for further reforms, including for the prime minister to relinquish the Finance portfolio and for the Budi95 subsidised petrol scheme to be restored to a 300-litre quota.

Kedah delegate Lim Hooi Yee similarly called on DAP to remain in the federal government until the end of the term.

“DAP must remain in the federal government until the end of the term. Leaving would mean betraying the King, the people and the principles of the party, which has fought for the people of Malaysia.

“The struggle is not over,” she said.

Lim said the results of the three state elections should instead serve as a warning for DAP to reflect on its performance.

“The results of the three state elections gave us different warnings. They are for us to reflect on, not to wash our hands of the matter and run away from responsibility,” she said.

DAP delegates are currently voting on whether the party should remain in or withdraw from the federal government.

The vote comes after party secretary-general Anthony Loke Siew Fook said he would leave the decision on DAP’s continued participation in the government to delegates.

The outcome is expected to be announced this afternoon.