DAP’s low Malay appeal takes further hit in Marina debacle

 Analysts say the episode only reinforces the perception that Malay leaders merely make up the supporting cast in the Chinese-dominated DAP.

DAP’s Marina Ibrahim, elected assemblyman for Skudai in 2022, recently announced she was leaving politics to return to community work. (Facebook pic)

PETALING JAYA:

DAP’s already fragile standing among the Malay electorate has suffered yet another blow following the debacle involving outgoing Skudai assemblyman Marina Ibrahim, political analysts said.

The Asia Group associate vice-president Asrul Hadi Abdullah Sani and James Chin of the University of Tasmania said the issue only reinforced the perception that DAP’s Malay leaders and elected representatives—even popular figures like Marina—merely make up the supporting cast in the Chinese-dominated party.

“This reinforces an existing and deeper challenge for DAP: convincing Malay voters and Malay political talent that they can rise within the party on their own merits, rather than being seen primarily through the lens of symbolism or electoral utility.

“That perception problem long predates this episode, but moments like this make it harder to argue against,” Asrul told FMT, adding that DAP’s rivals are bound to “go to town” on the issue.

Asrul said this could affect DAP, and by extension Pakatan Harapan, in seats where Malay swing votes matter.

Chin said the DAP has already been painted by rivals as being anti-Malay and anti-Islam. The perception of trying to push Marina out of Skudai would not help the party’s cause, he added.

“It will affect their standing among potential Malay supporters, who may see this as an example that confirms that DAP bullies the Malays within its own party,” he said, noting that Marina was one of its few elected representatives.

The group includes MPs Syahredzan Johan (Bangi), Young Syefura Othman (Bentong) and Syerleena Abdul Rashid (Bukit Bendera).

It also contains four assemblymen: Tengku Zulpuri Shah Raja Puji (Tras), Zairil Khir Johari (Tanjong Bunga), Aziz Bari (Tebing Tinggi) and Jamaliah Jamaluddin (Bandar Utama).

 first-term assemblyman for Skudai, Marina was elected in 2022, winning the Chinese-majority seat with a 13,943-vote majority.

On Sunday, she announced she was leaving politics to return to community work.

Following the announcement, Johor DAP chairman Teo Nie Ching revealed that the party had planned to field Marina in Tiram, a mixed seat with a slim Malay majority that used to be an Umno stronghold.

Teo said that, regardless of the outcome of that contest, she had intended to propose that Marina chair a statutory body.

PKR wrested Tiram in 2018 but Umno regained the seat four years later, with PKR’s candidate coming in third in a seven-cornered contest, behind Perikatan Nasional’s candidate.

‘Common DAP tactic’ 

According to Chin, the rotation of DAP candidates is a common tactic the party employs to broaden its influence, using well-known figures to strengthen support beyond traditional bases and capture seats from rivals.

However, he claimed that, by convention, such moves typically occur when elected representatives themselves offer to venture beyond their constituencies, rather than being forcibly moved out.

“In this case, it’s clear Marina was pushed out and has decided to rebel against the leadership (by quitting politics as a whole). It looks like she said no and the leadership kept pressuring her (to run in Tiram).”

Asrul said DAP’s offer of a statutory board position compounded the negative political optics, especially since the party has always opposed political appointments.

He said that while the incident was unlikely to erode the party’s overall support, it would undermine DAP’s longstanding effort to position itself as the antithesis of Umno, and that supporters would be quick to notice the contradiction.

“For a party that depends heavily on credibility among urban and reform-minded voters, this is no small issue. It is also a reminder that DAP isn’t immune to Malaysia’s political realities, where candidate placement, seat negotiations and post-election appointments are standard political currency.

“The party has built its brand on being different. Episodes like this test whether that brand holds under pressure,” he said. - FMT