The Democratic Action Party (DAP) has just concluded its most intense party election in history, amidst the tussle over keeping or sending off “the god in the party.” DAP officially enters the era of Loke Siew Fook and the Lim dynasty comes to an end. However, those who understand the saying of “barren land goes unattended, but once cultivated, many will fight over it”, they must be mentally prepared that the next party election will likely be even more intense. Therefore, party members must remember that the party is strong when it is united and otherwise if it is divided. Party elections are a process of renewal and a test of survival for the party. The decline of MCA (Malaysian Chinese Association), Gerakan and UMNO from their once-dominant positions serves as a mirror for DAP. It must be vigilant against internal fights as these could become the very demons that topple the party. Where will be DAP heading under Loke’s helm? The DAP is no longer an opposition party today. It holds power and enjoys the strongest support from the Chinese community. With this backing, the Chinese have high expectations and hope that the DAP will remain vocal to serve the community However, the rocket has been accused of being too silent when it should speak up on many issues, earning the nickname of “a silent party.” In response to this criticism, Loke strongly denied the accusation in his speech at the party congress, emphasising that the DAP, now a ruling party, must change the way it speaks. “DAP is now part of the government. Our leaders do not only represent the party but also the nation. Therefore, communication should be taking place through dialogues and meetings, with the focus on finding solutions,” he said. Loke is absolutely right—this is how a governing party should function. However, when the MCA was in the government, it adopted the same approach but was criticised by DAP (the opposition then) for being “in power without authority”. History is not just a mirror—it is often an ironic joke. The current position of MCA is extremely awkward. Even though it is now an opposition party, it is still bound by the Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition spirit and has been forced to follow its “big brother” UMNO to join the Unity Government. This feeling of dependence is unsettling—it is technically an opposition party but remains within the government, making it truly a case of power without authority. For the DAP, although it now holds both power and authority, some of its leaders still cannot let go of their hostility toward MCA, seizing every opportunity to criticise and attack the latter, as if they are still stuck in an opposition mindset. As political rivals, both are facing identity crises now. The key difference between MCA and DAP is that MCA openly acknowledges itself as a Chinese-based party, whereas DAP, bound by its “Malaysian Malaysia” ideology, cannot publicly affirm its Chinese identity. Although it relies heavily on […]
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