Analysts split over DAP’s ‘stay for now’ strategy

 Syaza Shukri says DAP can rebuild trust by using its Cabinet position to push reforms, but Oh Ei Sun believes remaining in government will further erode its core support.

DAP delegates want their leaders to remain as ministers, but how much they can achieve by staying in government is still a big question.

PETALING JAYA:

The decision by DAP to remain in the Cabinet has drawn contrasting reactions from political pundits.

Of the two who spoke to FMT, Syaza Shukri of the International Islamic University Malaysia says the party still has room to rebuild trust if it uses its position in government to exert pressure to realise promised reforms.

On the other hand, Oh Ei Sun of the Singapore Institute of International Affairs believes there is “almost nothing” DAP can do now from within the Cabinet to regain its core support.

Delegates who attended a special congress on Aug 16 to determine the party’s future in the government voted overwhelmingly to keep their leaders in the Cabinet until the end of the current government’s term.

A delegate from Kuala Lumpur, Sangeet Kaur Deo, summed up the delegates’ sentiments succinctly with her comment that the party should “stay for now” despite the growing dissatisfaction among supporters.

However, Sangeet, a committee member of Kuala Lumpur DAP, said the party must reassess its relationship with Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and regain its voice. She said the many compromises the party has made had made it look muted.

The special congress followed the party’s wipeout in the Sabah election, and Pakatan Harapan’s heavy defeats in Johor and Negeri Sembilan.

Not too late

Syaza said DAP could still justify its position in the Cabinet if it pushed harder for reforms and held its partners in the unity government accountable.

She said the party needed to show that progress had been made in realising promised reforms only because DAP was in government.

This, she added, was better than merely highlighting the performance of its ministers while blaming Anwar or other partners when reforms stalled.

Syaza Shukri.

“DAP cannot simply say, ‘we have good ministers, but it is the fault of the prime minister or others that certain reforms are unsuccessful’,” she said.

Syaza pointed out that as far as the people are concerned, the government is one entity, not a collection of several parts with separate responsibilities.

She said institutional reforms offered DAP the best opportunity to demonstrate its influence, as such measures were less likely to become caught up in racial politics.

“What DAP needs to show is that the government is pushing ahead with institutional reforms because DAP is there to help navigate and ensure promises are fulfilled,” she said.

Syaza said declining electoral support alone should not be a reason to withdraw, as that could make the party appear to be avoiding responsibility for the government’s failure.

Oh, who offered a contrarian view, said government decisions that are viewed as regressive by non-Malay voters could further erode DAP’s support because its ministers were bound by collective Cabinet responsibility.

He cited the “kuil haram” or “illegal temples” issue as one of many thorny issues.

He said Anwar’s order to local councils in February to take action against those behind the construction of Hindu temples without proper approval would only alienate non-Malay voters.

In July Anwar apologised for using the term “kuil haram” when discussing the issue, acknowledging that it was a mistake.

For that alone, Oh said, it is better for DAP to quit the Cabinet but continue to back the government in the Dewan Rakyat.

Oh Ei Sun.

“That way, it registers its protest over a decision that it does not support without bringing down the government,” Oh told FMT.

He said the party would open itself to even greater risk by remaining in the Cabinet while failing to deliver the changes expected by its core supporters.

“The party needs to consolidate its core non-Malay support. Otherwise, it will not just fail to win the Malay support it craves but will even lose its traditional non-Malay base. That way, it ends up like Gerakan,” he added. - FMT