The DAP’s transformation: From opposition firebrand to political conformist

Murray Hunter


The DAP’s transformation: From opposition firebrand to political conformist

P Ramasamy
Mar 10, 2025





The Democratic Action Party (DAP) in opposition and in government are two vastly different entities.

As an opposition party, the DAP was a vocal champion of Malaysian Malaysia, fighting for the rights of all Malaysians without fear or favor.

However, upon joining the government, this once-principled stance appears to have been sidelined, if not entirely abandoned.

While some DAP leaders still attempt to project the image of the party’s former self, the reality is starkly different.

The allure of government power, positions, and privileges has seeped into the party’s bloodstream.

The urgency to appease Malay leaders—whether from PKR or UMNO—has become intoxicating, overshadowing the party’s historical struggle.

The clearest indicator of this shift is DAP’s willingness to embrace UMNO under Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s leadership.

For decades, the party’s identity was built upon its opposition to UMNO’s political dominance. Yet, in its pursuit of power, DAP now finds itself aligned with the very forces it once resisted.

While some leaders continue to assert that DAP’s core values remain unchanged, the truth is different.

The party is slowly but surely becoming an appendage of Malay hegemonic and religious forces.

The internal struggles within DAP today are not about reclaiming independence from UMNO’s grip but about securing power and positions within the existing structure.

Even those who speak of preserving DAP’s autonomy seem unable to halt the party’s slide into political subservience.

The gates have been left open, and the party’s principles have been allowed to escape. Like MCA and Gerakan before it, DAP may have already passed the point of serious rectification.

At this stage, the only viable path forward for those who believe in the party’s original ideals may be to break away and form a new political force—one that remains committed to a truly inclusive and principled struggle for all Malaysians.



P. Ramasamy

Former professor of political economy at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) and former deputy chief minister of Penang.