KUALA LUMPUR: DAP must prepare for a tougher general election as cooperation between Barisan Nasional (BN) and Perikatan Nasional (PN) reshapes the country’s political landscape.
Its secretary-general Anthony Loke said recent political arrangements involving the two coalitions in Johor, Negri Sembilan and Melaka posed a significant challenge to DAP and its Pakatan Harapan (PH) partners.
He said the party could not afford to become complacent and must strengthen its organisation ahead of the 16th general election (GE16).
“Whatever their political calculations, the most important thing is that our party must remain united and strengthen ourselves together with our partners in Pakatan Harapan,” he said when officiating at the Kuala Lumpur Federal Territories DAP annual convention today.
Loke said the convention could be the party’s final annual gathering in Kuala Lumpur before GE16.
He urged members to intensify preparations in the coming months and focus on defending the party’s parliamentary constituencies.
He said DAP’s priority in Kuala Lumpur was to retain all five parliamentary seats it won in the 15th general election (GE15).
“Kuala Lumpur DAP must help the party defend all five seats that we won in GE15,” he said.
PH held 10 of the 11 parliamentary seats in the Federal Territories, including five held by DAP.
He urged party members to defend their constituencies while helping PH partners retain their seats.
Loke said public support could not be taken for granted, particularly following the party’s disappointing performance in the previous Sabah state election.
He described the result as a major setback that had prompted the party to reassess its electoral strategies.
In the November 2025 Sabah election, DAP lost all eight seats it contested, including six constituencies it had previously held.
The party also suffered setbacks in the Johor election in July this year, winning only six of the 17 seats it contested and losing four seats it had previously held.
In the Negri Sembilan election in August, DAP won nine of the 11 seats it contested.
Among its defeats was Chennah, where Loke himself lost to MCA’s Siow Kong Choon by a majority of 688 votes.
Loke said DAP had conducted a post-mortem and introduced measures to address weaknesses identified following its electoral setbacks.
He said the lessons from previous elections should guide the party’s preparations for future contests.
“The challenges we face are becoming greater as we approach the next election,” he said.
He also acknowledged that DAP leaders had become targets of political attacks and online satire.
Loke said criticism was unavoidable for a party in government, but members should remain focused on delivering improvements for the public.
He acknowledged that the government had weaknesses but said DAP should also explain its achievements to voters.
Loke said the party had a responsibility to uphold its principles while demonstrating the changes it had brought about through its participation in government.
He said making the right decisions did not always guarantee political rewards, but leaders should not abandon their responsibilities because of electoral pressure.