Malaysia’s Democratic Action Party (DAP), the largest party in government, has sidelined one of its key figures, pugnacious grandee Lim Guan Eng – leaving experts to warn that it risks losing ground with its base of Chinese and Indian minorities as it cosies up to a bitter political enemy from the Malay majority.
The DAP, long seen as the bridgehead into power for Indian and Chinese minorities, elected Anthony Loke for a second term as secretary general on Sunday. The vote was taken to be an indicator of DAP’s future direction, especially its will to continue working with former ruling party and erstwhile rival Umno inside Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s government.