DAP Votes to Remain in Unity Government
On August 16, the Democratic Action Party’s (DAP) members voted at the party's national congress to remain within PM Anwar Ibrahim's coalition government. DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke framed the outcome as a mandate to press ahead with reforms, including the separation of the Attorney General and Public Prosecutor roles and imposing a two-term limit for the prime minister – two of the long-standing institutional discussions in Malaysia. A total of 88.2% of the ballots backed the motion to stay, while 11.5% voted to leave.
Furthermore, the party convened the vote following calls to reassess its participation in the administration after electoral setbacks in Johor and Negeri Sembilan. Barisan Nasional (BN) swept the Johor election in July, winning 48 of 56 seats, while BN and Perikatan Nasional (PN) together secured a two-thirds majority in Negeri Sembilan in August. In that election, Loke lost the Chennah state assembly seat, ending DAP's 13-year hold on the constituency and marking his first electoral defeat since entering Negeri Sembilan politics in 2004.
The congress vote comes nearly four years after DAP joined Anwar's unity government following the November 2022 general election. DAP's decision removes the prospect of an immediate rupture within the government despite growing dissatisfaction among some party members over the pace of reform and the coalition's recent electoral setbacks. The vote formalizes DAP's continued participation for the remainder of the current parliamentary term, with Malaysia's next general election required to be held by February 2028.
