DAP Secretary-General Loke Siew Fook emphasises that the party must expand its appeal beyond its traditional core base ahead of GE16 while ensuring it retains strong backing among Chinese voters.
Acknowledging that capturing 90% of the Chinese electorate is a tall order, Loke remains confident, based on recent state election results, that DAP can reliably secure around 80% of their support.
In an interview with The Straits Times Singapore, he highlighted the necessity of balancing core voter retention with broader outreach across Malaysia’s evolving political landscape.
But he did not rule out the possibility that DAP may contest in the next elections on its own.
He said DAP will never take Chinese support for granted, and noted that Malaysian political reality demands consensus-building among coalition partners, meaning the party’s vision can rarely be realised in full.
“We know sometimes it’s frustrating to be in this kind of situation, but that is the reality of Malaysian politics,” he said in a recent interview.
“There is no way for DAP to form a government on its own without working with others. This is a reality we must accept. We can only push as far as possible, relying on objective and persuasive arguments to get things done within the system,” Loke pointed out.
“As much as possible, I want to preserve the PH coalition. But again, our electoral strategy needs to be reviewed from time to time. What is the best strategy, not only for DAP, but for our partners as well?” he said, ading that he can only answer when the Parliament is dissolved.
Loke also said DAP’s trouncing in the Aug 1 Negeri Sembilan state election is basically a blessing in disguise for them.—Oct 4, 2026
Main image: New Straits Times
