Loke’s decision may not quell DAP frustration, say analysts

Political analysts are sceptical whether DAP’s move to have only its secretary-general, Loke Siew Fook, resign as minister would be enough to quell grassroots anger over the conditional pardon given to former prime minister Najib Razak.

One analyst said all five DAP ministers should have resigned. to better retain grassroots support.

Lau Zhe Wei of International Islamic University of Malaysia told FMT that resigning en masse would have been the right thing to do, even though DAP was not responsible for the conditional pardon granted to Najib.

Such a move would not jeopardise the unity government’s stability, as all 40 of its MPs can continue backing the government in Parliament.

Lau said the decision for only Loke to quit had placed the party in a difficult spot with its supporters, especially those from the Chinese community, at a time when it is losing support, as seen in recent elections.

“What can be done to regain their support? I would propose that all of them resign – not out of anger or because they feel they should take responsibility – but because they have to think about which way is best for them to retain Chinese support in the future.

“This is super critical. Once you lose the trust and bond you have with the Chinese community, it is not easy to patch it up,” he said.

Lau said a lack of Chinese representation in the Cabinet would not be an issue, as PKR can appoint Chinese MPs from the party to fill the positions, or appoint outsiders.

He said Najib appointed Paul Low, former president of Transparency International Malaysia, as a minister in the Prime Minister’s Department when MCA refused to join Najib’s Cabinet after losing in the 2013 general election.

He said that while it was not wrong for DAP ministers to stay in their posts, it risked giving their opponents more opportunities to accuse the party of being power-hungry.

Singapore Institute of International Affairs senior fellow Oh Ei Sun said he did not think DAP’s supporters would blame the party if all its ministers resigned en masse, potentially causing the government to fall.

“In fact, support would return (to DAP). I don’t think their supporters would be satisfied with half-measures,” he told FMT.

However, Azmi Hassan of Akademi Nusantara said DAP’s grassroots should not be too upset by the conditional pardon, as Najib had undergone due process and was pardoned by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.

“I think DAP supporters should not construe that the party has failed in this particular issue,” he told FMT.

Azmi said Loke’s sole resignation was the right move, as a mass resignation would have given Umno ammunition to put further pressure on Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim to dissolve Parliament.

“If DAP had decided to leave the government and support Anwar from outside, it would give extra ammunition to Umno to create political turmoil in the unity government,” he said.

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