Malaysia's DAP to hold special congress on Aug 16 to vote on remaining in Anwar's unity government

Published Aug 4, 04:47 AM UTC

Malaysia's Democratic Action Party (DAP), the largest party in Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim's Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition, will hold a special national congress on August 16 to decide whether to remain in the unity government. The decision follows a series of electoral defeats, most recently in Negeri Sembilan where PH won only 11 of 36 seats. DAP has been losing support due to the government's perceived mishandling of corruption cases and slow reform implementation. Secretary-General Anthony Loke, who lost his state assembly seat, said 4,000 delegates will vote on the motion. The DAP's potential defection could destabilize Anwar's government, which is already facing challenges from a growing pan-Malay alliance between Barisan Nasional and Perikatan Nasional.