DAP shouldn’t contemplate exit from unity govt at the moment, and here’s why

DAP shouldn’t contemplate exit from unity govt at the moment, and here’s why

By Prof James Chin
1 day ago






HERE’S my honest take on why DAP should not even contemplate leaving the unity government right now. I’m basing this on the current political reality in Malaysia as of late 2025—no sugarcoating, just straightforward reasoning.


The multiracial government dream dies without DAP: Let’s be real—if DAP pulls out, the unity government gets reshuffled into something far less diverse. The current setup, flawed as it is, is the closest we’ve had to a genuinely multiracial coalition at the federal level.


Perikatan Nasional (PN), dominated by PAS and Bersatu, has zero non-Malay MPs from PAS itself, and their whole vibe is heavily Islamic-centric with no political space for non-Muslims.

PN in power would be worse—much worse—for minorities. Do you want a government where one of their leaders said Lee Kuan Yew and Lim Kit Siang are cousins and refused to back down even when the courts found she was wrong?

This will be the sort of government you will be getting, where every single issue is decided on ideological ground and where basic facts do not matter because religious dogma and hatred towards minorities are more important.


Critics are right to call out the DAP compromises. But DAP remains the most progressive party in the government.

The fault for “reformati” largely lies with Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim as the prime minister (PM)—he’s the captain steering the ship toward what he thinks will win Malay votes, often chasing the “green wave”, such as presenting himself as hero to Palestine when they do not take him seriously at all.

DAP as the first officer cannot override him alone, but quitting means zero influence. Staying at least gives them a seat at the table to fight for scraps of reform rather than shouting from the backbenches where they would be ignored.

PN in power would be worse, much worse, for minorities. It will be all about making Malaysia a Malay-Islamic-First state.

This will be the sort of government you will be getting where every single issue is decided on ideological ground and where basic facts do not matter because religious dogma and hatred towards minorities are more important.

Anwar’s government isn’t great—it’s clueless on some fronts and Anwar’s pandering to conservative votes frustrates everyone tired of race-religion politics.

But PN ministers and policies would amplify the political Islam conservatism that’s already creeping in at a much faster pace. Malaysia is not at Pakistan/Bangladesh levels yet but a PN win accelerates the slide toward bigotry and theocracy.

The unity government, with all its warts, is the best of bad options—it slows that decline, protects some space for non-Malays and non-Muslims.

Leaving risks a power vacuum that lets the worse side win.

The bottom line: DAP leaving now would feel cathartic for frustrated supporters, but it’d likely screw over the very causes the party claims to fight for. Progressive Malaysians must push harder for the DAP to hold Anwar accountable but not at the cost of allowing PAS into power.

Note, however, that these points only hold for Malaya, where the racial and religious dynamics are most intense. ‒ Dec 18, 2025



Renowned political commentator Prof James Chin was also the inaugural director of the Asia Institute at the University of Tasmania. His above view was a re-hash from his recent Facebook post.