DAP’s reform deadline adds pressure without giving it leverage

 Analyst Syaza Shukri says that with the ultimatum, the party risks exposing its own limits rather than put real pressure on the prime minister ahead of the year-end deadline.

By setting a deadline for Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim to act on promised reforms, the DAP has effectively used its last bargaining chip, an analyst said.

PETALING JAYA:

By imposing a four-month deadline for the government to make good on promises of reforms, the DAP has inadvertently set a trap for itself.

Syaza Shukri.

Academic Syaza Shukri says the party must now ensure the government delivers on its pledges while party stalwart Charles Santiago believes that going forward, only immediate executive action could buy the party some time.

But political scientist Wong Chin Huat points out that DAP still has a card to play — its large share of seats in the Dewan Rakyat enables it to trigger a snap election, a prospect that Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim may not be prepared for yet.

Syaza of the International Islamic University Malaysia said DAP’s ultimatum has not really given the party any leverage over Anwar.

She said that having already voted to remain in the government, the party now risks exposing its own limits rather than put real pressure on Anwar ahead of its year-end deadline.

“This effectively strips the DAP of its primary bargaining chip,” she told FMT.

“At this point it feels more performative. Why should we believe that anything would change when the deadline for this new ultimatum comes and goes?

“Plus, the delegates have voted to stay, giving Anwar room to breathe. There’s less pressure now,” she added.

DAP, with 40 of the 150 parliamentary seats in the government bloc, has five ministers and seven deputy ministers. It also has the most seats among Pakatan Harapan (PH) components.

At its special congress on Aug 16, the majority of delegates voted for the party to remain in the government. They also urged the party’s leadership to be more assertive in pushing for reforms.

DAP chairman Gobind Singh Deo urged Anwar to expedite key institutional reforms by December, including separating the roles of the attorney-general (AG) and public prosecutor (PP), limiting the prime minister’s tenure to two terms, and making provisions for equal constituency development funds.

Syaza noted that having closed the door on pulling support, DAP has backed itself into a corner where it must deliver or face further alienation from its core support base.

“The party has lost its opportunity to really ‘punish’ or send a signal to the unity government with last weekend’s vote. DAP will be with the government till the end,” she added.

A self-inflicted trap

Separately Santiago, formerly MP for Klang, described the four-month window as a self-inflicted trap that risks backfiring on the party leadership.

“The four reforms DAP has put forward are not something new. They have been sitting on the table for almost four years,” he said, adding that setting such a strict timeline without a clear game plan creates a narrative of desperation rather than conviction.

Santiago also argued that instead of waiting for complex legislative bills to clear Parliament, the government should focus on immediate, concrete executive actions to address public disillusionment.

However, DAP central executive committee member Kasthuri Patto defended the push, framing the December deadline as “necessary procedural groundwork” to clear the legislative backlog and establish lasting democratic checks.

Reforms a shared responsibility

Kasthuri also pushed back on the narrative that the reform burden rests solely on DAP, urging partners like Barisan Nasional, Gabungan Parti Sarawak, and Gabungan Rakyat Sabah to honour their own campaign promises.

She said that while BN, GRS and GPS also made similar promises as PH, the DAP should not be the party singled out for not fulfilling promises to push for reforms.

DAP’s leverage lies in its seats

Wong Chin Huat.

Wong said DAP retained leverage because its 40 parliamentary seats remain vital to the Madani government’s majority.

“Without DAP’s seats, the government would lose its majority. Hence if DAP finds staying in government unworthy, it won’t have to quit Cabinet. It can just quietly tell Anwar to call for a snap general election,” Wong said.

He also said that if coalition partners actively block progressive bills, reform-minded voters will ultimately hold them accountable at the ballot box. - FMT