Malaysia’s DAP polls: Lim Guan Eng fails to retain chairmanship, named national adviser

SHAH ALAM, Selangor – Veteran leader Lim Guan Eng of the Democratic Action Party (DAP) lost his bid to retain the post of chairman in his party’s triennial election held on March 16.

Instead, he was offered a role as national adviser, a move seen as diminishing the stature of the Lim family in the largest party in Malaysia’s ruling coalition.

In the closely watched DAP internal election, Mr Lim polled 1,719 votes and ranked 26th among 70 candidates vying for a seat in the 30-member central executive committee (CEC).

During the subsequent election for office-bearers by the newly elected CEC members, Mr Lim was chosen as party adviser.

The party’s new chairman, for a three-year term, will be Mr Gobind Singh Deo, who is also Malaysia’s Digital Minister.

Transport Minister Anthony Loke retained the secretary-general’s post as the leader of the Chinese-majority multiracial party.

The party congress was held in Shah Alam, the capital of Selangor state. Seventy-nine per cent of the 4,203 delegates registered with the party turned out to vote.

In response to the drop in Mr Lim’s ranking from eighth in 2022 to 26th in terms of the number of votes in 2025, Mr Loke emphasised that the delegates still recognise the veteran politician’s contributions to the party and voted for him accordingly.

“He was the secretary-general and national chairman in the past, leading the party to victory in the 2008 election, which resulted in the DAP forming the Penang government and Mr Lim becoming chief minister for the first time,” Mr Loke told reporters after announcing the new CEC line-up.

“The party members have not forgotten him. They remain affectionate towards Mr Lim, valuing every leader who played a role at a different time.”

Accepting the delegates’ decision, Mr Lim underlined that his future would be determined by party members, not outsiders.

“I thank all the delegates who voted for me. We must remain united under secretary-general Anthony Loke,” he told reporters.

In January, Umno president Zahid Hamidi – an ally of the DAP in the government – rebuked Mr Lim for his criticism of the Malay party’s decision to hold a rally in solidarity with jailed former prime minister Najib Razak, who was incarcerated over the 1Malaysia Development Berhad state fund scandal.

The 3,320 delegates who voted for their new leaders had to decide, among other things, whether the 59-year-old party should remain vocal street fighters – as it had been as an opposition party – or allow its leaders to quietly work the Cabinet, now that the DAP is a member of the Pakatan Harapan governing coalition.

It has five full Cabinet ministers and six deputy ministers in the two-year-old government led by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.

The DAP has 40 MPs and 90 state assemblymen spread among 10 Malaysian states. Among Malaysia’s myriad political parties, only the opposition Parti Islam SeMalaysia has more MPs (43) and more state assemblymen (147).

The Lim family, led by Tan Sri Lim Kit Siang, a founding member, were dominant figures in the party’s long years in the opposition. Now aged 84, the elder Lim has retired from active politics.

The younger Lim, 64 – who is Mr Lim Kit Siang’s eldest son – was the DAP’s secretary-general between 2004 and 2022, and has been its national chairman since 2022.

Part of the souring of sentiment against Mr Lim Guan Eng was caused by an aggressive push for his candidates to oust those led by Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow in the 2023 state elections.

But in the Penang DAP internal election in September 2024, Mr Lim Guan Eng’s faction suffered a major setback, with only two of his preferred candidates being elected out of the total 15 seats.

Mr Chow resigned as the Penang DAP chief, but has retained his post as chief minister until 2028, when the next state election is due.

Meanwhile, Mr Lim Guan Eng’s sister, Ms Lim Hui Ying, lost her CEC position.

Dr Phoon Wing Keong, head of the Huayan Policy Institute think-tank, said Mr Lim has successfully defended his dignity by remaining in the CEC despite the challenges.

“By transitioning to an advisory role, this arrangement helps address the issue of leadership change, while the party has appreciated his past contribution,” he said.