DAP delegates eligible to vote at the party’s Special Congress have been urged to support a motion for the party to withdraw from the Unity Government as a way of putting greater pressure on Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to deliver political reforms before the 16th General Election (GE16).
Former Bangi MP Dr Ong Kian Ming said the main justification for voting to remove DAP leaders from the Cabinet would be to use the party’s political position as leverage to push the Government into fulfilling at least some of Pakatan Harapan’s (PH) reform commitments.
He said the Prime Minister would only respond to strong political pressure, whether it came from individuals, groups, organisations or specific political circumstances.
According to Kian Ming, DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke’s decision to convene the Special Congress was intended to remind Anwar that the party’s delegates had the power to determine whether DAP leaders should remain in the Cabinet.
He said this influence could be used to pressure the Prime Minister to implement parts of PH’s manifesto before the current parliamentary term ends.
Anthony was previously reported as saying that DAP delegates would determine the party’s position in the Government during Sunday’s congress, with a motion on the matter expected to be presented to nearly 4,000 delegates for a decision.
The outcome is also expected to shape DAP’s collective political direction and its role in the country’s political landscape.
Kian Ming said the delegates’ decision had become increasingly significant following several recent developments that he claimed were inconsistent with PH’s original reform agenda.
Among the issues he highlighted were the lack of further action against former Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki, alleged restrictions involving parliamentary allocations for PKR MPs seen as supporting former Economy Minister Datuk Seri Rafizi Ramli, and the recent arrests of two bloggers, Bryan Kong and Shamsul Saad.
He warned that a decision to remain in the Cabinet could be interpreted by Anwar as a signal that DAP delegates were prepared to continue supporting the Government until the end of the parliamentary term, even if no substantive political reforms were carried out.
Kian Ming said DAP’s influence over the Prime Minister could consequently be weakened if a majority of delegates voted for the party to remain in the Cabinet, regardless of speeches or demands made during the Special Congress or through social media.
At the same time, he acknowledged that there were reasonable arguments for DAP to remain in the Cabinet, including ensuring the tabling and debate of Budget 2027 on Oct 9 proceed smoothly.
He also said the party may not want to create an opportunity for BN or UMNO to withdraw support for the Government, which could potentially trigger an earlier general election.
However, Kian Ming said a decision to withdraw from the Cabinet would not necessarily require DAP ministers to resign immediately.
He said party leaders could negotiate with Anwar on an appropriate timeline, including agreeing for DAP Cabinet members to step down only after Budget 2027 had been approved by both the Dewan Rakyat and Dewan Negara in December 2026.
He added that DAP could also negotiate with Anwar for several key legislative reforms to be passed during the current parliamentary session, including a proposed 10-year limit on the Prime Minister’s tenure and an Act to ensure equal parliamentary allocations.
