The decline of the Lim dynasty in DAP: A political power shift

Murray Hunter


The decline of the Lim dynasty in DAP: A political power shift

P Ramasamy
Mar 01, 2025





The upcoming DAP Central Executive Committee (CEC) election on March 16, 2025, is shaping up to be an uphill battle for the children of party veteran Lim Kit Siang.

His son, Lim Guan Eng, and daughter, Lim Hui Ying, are facing strong internal opposition, and their victory in the party polls is far from assured.

A growing wave of resistance within the party—led by factions aligned with Secretary-General Anthony Loke and Perak DAP warlord Nga Kor Ming—is determined to end the Lim family’s dominance in the party.

Once the backbone of DAP, Kit Siang’s legacy now faces an existential challenge from those who believe in moving past dynastic politics.

Signs of this shift were evident in the recent Selangor DAP state elections, where Gobind Singh Deo, a known ally of the Lim family, unexpectedly lost.

Similarly, Lim Hui Ying, once favored to become the Selangor DAP chairperson, only managed to secure a spot in the state committee rather than taking the top position.

Gobind’s defeat sent a clear message: opposition to family-based leadership in the party is gaining momentum.

The upcoming CEC election is expected to be the final showdown between the Lim family and the Loke-Nga faction, which has gained the backing of several regional power blocs.

As a result, Guan Eng and his allies are scrambling to shore up support among party delegates.

Their position has been further weakened by senior party members declining to contest in the election, citing the need for younger leaders to step forward.

Even if Guan Eng manages to secure a place in the CEC, it will be under significantly diminished circumstances.

The days of his family’s undisputed influence and privilege in DAP are fading. It is now widely expected that the Loke-Nga faction will prevail.

This leadership transition comes at a time when DAP’s role in championing the rights of non-Malays is being called into question.

With Guan Eng’s potential exit, many doubt whether Loke and Nga have the same political will and courage to defend national issues affecting the non-Malay community.

While Guan Eng had his faults, he was undeniably more assertive in advocating for nationality rights.

A key turning point in his decline was his decision in 2018 to leave the Penang Chief Ministership for a federal ministerial position after Pakatan Harapan’s historic victory.

By doing so, he sacrificed his stronghold in Penang—a move that ultimately weakened his political base.

No strategic leader would have given up such a pivotal role without securing solid ground at the federal level.

Ironically, Loke, once groomed by the Lim family, is now one of the key figures engineering their downfall.

Perhaps Guan Eng should ask the same question Julius Caesar posed to Brutus: “Et tu, Brute?”



P. Ramasamy

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

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kt remarks:

In my opinion, I believe Prof Rama has been a bit unkind, understandably so given his treatment by Lim GE who himself stood as both a MP and ADUN yet denied Prof Rama a last term as an ADUN in the Penang state election.

I think it's more of Tokong's personality rather than Loke's Machiavellianism that will be at play in the coming DAP CEC election. Tokong did something really "bad" when he OPENLY criticised Chow severely - made many wonder at his selfishness and perhaps even secret desire to be CM Penang - coupled with his denial of Prof Rama's chance in a last term as an ADUn versus his own parliamentary standing, he's not viewed by many in the party as a "nice bloke".

I shan't comment on his sister who really does not stand out as someone significant nor outstanding in the DAP, if not for her association with her father and brother.