Loke apologises to DAP delegates for losing Chennah in Negeri Sembilan polls

Loke apologises to DAP delegates for losing Chennah in Negeri Sembilan polls



Loke said contesting the challenging seat was never about personal achievement, but about demonstrating that DAP could win support from people of various ethnic backgrounds and succeed in a Malay-majority area. — Picture by Yusof Isa


Summary

• During the DAP's national congress, Secretary-General Anthony Loke expressed regret for losing his long-held Chennah seat in the Negeri Sembilan state election, emphasizing that the contest was aimed at showcasing DAP's ability to gain support across ethnic groups, particularly in a Malay-majority area.
• Despite the setback, Loke encouraged party members not to lose heart from recent electoral defeats, highlighting the party's resilience and commitment to overcoming racial barriers.
• The congress also focused on deliberating the party's future direction within Malaysia's Unity Government amidst ongoing debates over its reform pace and electoral performance.

First Published: Sunday, 16 Aug 2026 12:21 PM MYT


PUTRAJAYA, Aug 16 — DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke today apologised to party delegates for failing to retain Chennah, a seat he had held for three consecutive terms since 2013, in the recent Negeri Sembilan state election.


Loke said contesting the challenging seat was never about personal achievement, but about demonstrating that DAP could win support from people of various ethnic backgrounds and succeed in a Malay-majority area.


“I felt saddened that as the party secretary-general I was unable to retain the seat in the recent Negeri Sembilan state election and for that I would like to apologise to all the delegates for this defeat.


“However, I acknowledge that this mission was unsuccessful and we did not receive strong support from Malay voters or the Orang Asli community.


“This is a major challenge for DAP, how we can break through this racial barrier so that our political journey can go further,” he said in his policy speech during the party’s national congress at the Putrajaya International Convention Centre (PICC) here.

In the recent Negeri Sembilan state election, Loke lost to MCA’s John Kong Choon, who won the seat with a majority of 688 votes.


Nevertheless, Loke stressed that the party’s recent string of electoral defeats should not prevent it from moving forward, as every election has its winners and losers.

“We have almost 60 years of electoral experience and we suffered many defeats during our early struggles but we must not give up.

“To the delegates and party activists, let this be our motivation and inspiration and as long as we do not give up, DAP’s future can still be embraced by the majority of Malaysians,” he said.

Today’s congress is expected to see delegates deliberate on the party’s position and future direction within the Unity Government.

The congress comes amid growing debate over slow reforms and electoral setbacks within the party, including whether it should remain part of the administration under Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.