DAP to Vote on Unity Government Role at August 16 Congress

KUALA LUMPUR, AUGUST 2026 – The Democratic Action Party (DAP) will table a motion at its National Congress on August 16 to determine whether the party should continue serving in Malaysia’s Unity Government until the end of the current parliamentary term.

DAP Secretary-General Anthony Loke said the proposal was agreed upon during a meeting of the party’s Central Executive Committee (CEC), with the final decision to be left entirely to party delegates rather than the leadership.

According to Loke, more than 4,000 delegates attending the congress will cast their votes through a secret ballot, ensuring every representative has the freedom to decide without influence from the party’s top leadership.

He stressed that the CEC deliberately chose not to adopt an official position on the motion, saying the issue was too significant to be decided solely by the party’s executive committee.

Instead, DAP will rely on its internal democratic process, allowing delegates to collectively determine the party’s future role in the federal administration.

Loke explained that while CEC members had expressed different personal opinions during discussions, those views did not represent the party’s official stance.

He added that neither the secretary-general nor the national chairman would decide the matter independently, as the outcome must reflect the collective will of party members through their elected delegates.

The congress was originally scheduled for July 12 but was postponed to August 16 following the dissolution of the Johor and Negeri Sembilan state legislative assemblies to allow party members to focus on the state elections.

Loke described the upcoming vote as an important milestone in determining DAP’s political direction for the remainder of the parliamentary term.

He said the result would clarify whether the party should continue pursuing its agenda from within the Unity Government or take a different path moving forward.

The motion focuses specifically on DAP’s position within the federal government rather than its membership in the Pakatan Harapan coalition.

Loke noted that the issue of the party’s role within Pakatan Harapan does not arise under the proposed motion, which is solely intended to determine DAP’s participation in the Unity Government.

The outcome of the August 16 vote is expected to be closely watched by political observers, coalition partners and opposition parties, as it could influence Malaysia’s political landscape for the remainder of the current parliamentary term.

Although DAP remains part of the Unity Government while awaiting the congress, the delegates’ decision will ultimately determine the party’s official direction and future participation in the federal administration.