Strife within DAP a clash
of generations, says analyst
Younger leaders want DAP to shed its opposition image and woo Malay voters, raising tensions and fuelling speculation about Lim Guan Eng’s future.
University of Tasmania’s James Chin said a younger faction of up-and-coming leaders is pushing for DAP to shed its opposition image and go “mainstream”.
They also want the party to be more appealing to Malay voters, he said.
Chin said the inter-generational clash was not about ideology, as everyone in DAP supports the party’s vision of a “Malaysian Malaysia”.
“The divide lies between those who believe DAP can no longer operate with an opposition mindset and those who still see the party as a check-and-balance force.
“DAP has been in government twice at the federal level and has governed Penang for four terms. This has led to a group within the party advocating for a shift towards the political mainstream.
“The internal shift is largely generational. The older faction believes DAP should continue acting as a watchdog, while the younger faction insists on active participation in government to represent the Chinese community,” he told FMT.
Chin said the younger faction also wants DAP to break away from its dependence on Chinese voters and attract more Malay support.
“With Malay political allegiances fractured between PKR, Umno, Bersatu and PAS, there is an opportunity for DAP to appeal to Malay voters, particularly in Penang. The party could also target Indian voters.”
This, he added, has led to a push for DAP chairman and longtime leader Lim Guan Eng to be ousted from the central executive committee (CEC) in next month’s party polls.
On Monday, a DAP veteran claimed that “deep state” actors, influenced by “external forces”, were trying to reshape the party to please Malay voters, who are said to prefer a more moderate leader.
Veteran DAP grassroots leader S Neelamekan said this could see Lim ousted from DAP’s 30-member CEC next month, or his votes reducing drastically.
He also said the heckling of DAP organising secretary Steven Sim by an aide to Lim at an event on Saturday night suggested an open feud between their factions. The aide, Tan Khong Chong, has since apologised to the party for his actions.
Chin dismissed the notion of a deep state in DAP, saying the party’s current predicament was a natural evolution, following its move from the opposition to government.
DAP has faced longstanding suspicions among Malay voters, fueled by claims that the party is anti-Malay or anti-Islam.
“To break that perception, some in the party believe Lim must step aside. But there is no empirical evidence to suggest that removing Lim would automatically help DAP gain Malay support,” he said.
Chin added that, if Lim were to fall down the pecking order in DAP, his successor as party secretary-general, Loke Siew Fook, would be propped up as DAP’s face in the next general election.
“Loke enjoys a good image among the Malay community, and some believe he could help DAP broaden its voter base.”
Asrul Hadi Abdullah Sani, of ADA Southeast Asia, does not think DAP will let its rank-and-file elect the party’s leadership purely to appeal to the Malays.
He said that while the party has been working hard at diversifying its support base and improving its appeal among Malay voters, DAP members are unlikely to vote solely based on a leader’s popularity among the community.
“This perspective may stem from external narratives suggesting that Lim’s leadership could lead to Pakatan Harapan losing more seats in the next general election,” he said.
On the other hand, Oh Ei Sun of the Singapore Institute of International Affairs said leadership struggles are commonplace in Asian parties. He said it was unlikely to be a case of external interference.
“I have no idea whom they mean—(PKR president) Anwar Ibrahim? Umno? MCA? DAP is the second strongest party after PAS,” he said.
Despite the internal rift, Oh expects DAP’s electoral performance to be unaffected.
“It may cost them some votes, but their margins are so big they will still win overwhelmingly.”
DAP is the Enemy of Islam.... says 3R warriors... and the majority of Malays believe it.
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