I will answer in July, Loke says on DAP's 6-month reform clock

 

In the wake of DAP’s crushing defeat in last November’s Sabah state election, the party’s leadership retreated behind closed doors, grappling with the sharp collapse of its support among the Chinese electorate.

At the time, DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke said the results were a "strong and unmistakable message from the voters" and reflected a serious crisis of confidence faced by both DAP and Pakatan Harapan.

He added that DAP pledged to work closely with the prime minister to accelerate the reform agenda over the next six months.

Two months have passed, and when Malaysiakini quizzed Loke on the progress at a press conference today, he offered a one-line response.

“I will say that in July,” he replied, declining to dwell further on the topic for now.

A few days after the Sabah election and DAP’s central leadership meeting, Loke clarified that if Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim fails to deliver meaningful reforms within the next six months, DAP will reassess its role in the government.

However, he was quick to stress that this does not mean DAP - which holds the largest number of MP seats in the government - would withdraw its support for the Madani administration and risk triggering political turmoil.

“This is because we hold 40 (parliamentary) seats. If (someone) withdraws just two seats, the government won’t fall; but if we withdraw all 40 seats, the government will collapse,” he said.

Dealing with negative perception

Loke said that over the next six months, the government must demonstrate tangible change and offer hope, reversing the negative public perception.

“I’m not saying all problems can be solved in six months, but we must see some changes - enough for voters to feel this government still has hope. Public perception must be improved.

“If perception cannot be changed, then after six months we must make a decisive decision, but that decision does not mean we intend to let the government fall - absolutely not,” he stressed.

In the Sabah polls, DAP, which aligned itself with Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) - whose leaders were implicated in a mining scandal - lost all eight seats it contested, including six constituencies it had previously won with large majorities in the 2020 election.

The results rang alarm bells, stoking fears that if the slide is not arrested, a similar trend could unfold during the next general election.

This also prompted some DAP leaders - previously accused of losing their voice under the current administration - to rediscover their vocal chords. - Mkini