Malaysia’s top coalition party DAP weighs Cabinet roles, report says

The Democratic Action Party (DAP), the largest party in Malaysia’s ruling coalition, will decide in July whether to retain its Cabinet posts or move to the backbenches in Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s administration, in a move that could signal shifts in Chinese support for Datuk Seri Anwar.

The ethnic Chinese-centric party will make the decision at a national congress, Sin Chew Daily reported on Feb 20, citing secretary-general Anthony Loke Siew Fook, who also serves as transport minister.

The gathering is expected to be a key gauge of backing for Mr Anwar ahead of a general election due in less than two years.

The move comes months after Mr Anwar’s Pakatan Harapan coalition suffered a setback in Sabah state elections, where DAP failed to win a single seat – a result critics say points to weakening support among Chinese voters.

Mr Anwar rose to power with strong backing from DAP, which has consistently outperformed his own Parti Keadilan Rakyat (People’s Justice Party) and long dominated urban constituencies nationwide. The party had held six seats in the Sabah assembly before losing all of them in the November polls.

Mr Anwar’s office did not immediately respond to a Bloomberg News request for comment.

DAP holds 40 seats in Malaysia’s Lower House, making it the largest party in the governing coalition. It is widely seen as reflecting the views of the Malaysian Chinese community, the country’s largest minority group, which makes up more than one-fifth of the population and plays a prominent role in the business sector of the Muslim-majority nation.

The months leading up to the congress are crucial, Mr Loke said, adding that the administration needs to fulfil its campaign promises. BLOOMBERG