The Democratic Action Party's (DAP) designation as the bogeyman for right-wing Malay politicians contributed to the collapse of the Pakatan Harapan (PH) government last week, but it still controls Malaysia's non-Malay vote and remains the largest party in Parliament.

Both Umno and Parti Islam SeMalaysia (PAS) - now members of the country's new ruling coalition Perikatan Nasional (PN) - have for years pushed the narrative that the Chinese-dominated DAP is an anti-Malay party filled with arrogant leaders. This narrative gained ground among the main Malay-Muslim community after DAP was voted in as part of the government for the very first time in the May 2018 General Election, as one of the four member parties of the victorious PH pact.