DAP’s leadership battle
heats up as party polls
draw near
Analysts say those in the top positions will be frontrunners for Cabinet posts if the current government retains power in the next general election.
P Sivamurugan of Universiti Sains Malaysia expects those who secure seats on the party’s central executive committee (CEC) to be its leading faces at the 16th general election (GE16), due by 2027.
“For now, it appears there are two factions – one led by DAP national chairman Lim Guan Eng and the other by the party’s secretary-general Loke Siew Fook,” he told FMT.
Sivamurugan said that based on trends at previous polls, leaders in Loke’s camp are likely to dominate the CEC as DAP seeks to reposition itself within mainstream politics.
“Housing and local government minister Nga Kor Ming and Loke appear to be aligned, particularly after Nga publicly stated his commitment to strengthening the party,” he said, adding that the move could be seen as entrenching Loke’s growing influence.
Another key focus will be a likely tussle between Lim Hui Ying, daughter of DAP veteran Lim Kit Siang and sister to Guan Eng, and human resources minister Steven Sim.
Both Hui Ying and Sim are gunning to be Penang’s next chief minister.
“They would need to secure top positions in the party elections to show strong delegate support,” said Sivamurugan.
James Chin of University of Tasmania, however said much of DAP’s internal divisions revolve around personalities and key issues.
He said that although party members appear split around whether they support Guan Eng, that has not given rise to permanent factions.
Chin said a formal leadership transition took place at the last party elections in 2022, with Loke, the current transport minister, assuming the role of secretary-general.
“In DAP’s system, the secretary-general is the most senior party leader,” he said.
Despite this, party chairman Guan Eng still holds significant influence, said Chin, particularly in formal structures.
However, he said, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim “tends to speak to Loke”, the party’s secretary-general, if he needs to engage the DAP leadership.
Intense battle for positions
Ilham Centre’s Hisomuddin Bakar said that, unlike previous internal squabbles which were largely kept out of the public eye, DAP’s position as a party in the ruling coalition has placed its leadership contest under public scrutiny.
“At the heart of this election is a generational contest within the party.
“The older guard, led by Guan Eng, face a challenge from the younger leadership under Loke, who are increasingly seen as the new face of DAP.
“Party delegates must now decide whether to uphold the influence of the old guard or pave the way for fresh leadership to shape the party’s future direction,” he said.
Hisomuddin said the decision of three long-time members to withdraw from the elections – national adviser Tan Kok Wai, national treasurer Fong Kui Lun, and party veteran Phee Boon Poh – signals a leadership transition, with the baton gradually passing to a new generation.
He also said Gobind Singh Deo, who lost in the Selangor DAP election, may have his work cut out trying to remain relevant within the CEC despite holding a ministerial post.
The emergence of new faces, such as Kuala Kubu Baharu assemblywoman Pang Sock Tao – said to be a protégé of Nga – further reflects the party’s quest for renewal, said Hisomuddin.
DAP veteran M Kulasegaran has also decided to withdraw from the race for seats on the party’s CEC to make way for younger leaders.
Will DAP remain multiracial?
Hisomuddin said another key focus will be whether delegates elect a CEC lineup that reflects Malaysia’s multiracial identity or one that remains dominated by a single ethnic group.
A key indicator would be how highly the party’s young Malay leaders, including Syahredzan Johan, Syerleena Rashid, Young Syefura Othman and Sheikh Umar Bagharib Ali, will rank.
The same applies to Indian representation within DAP.
“Following P Ramasamy’s departure, the community’s leadership within the party has become less prominent, with only Gobind seen as a significant figure,” he said
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