Can Malaysia’s DAP capture the Muslim and non-Chinese vote? Anthony Loke may be about to find out
- At a pivotal moment for the country, Malaysia’s biggest opposition party must overcome sniping by critics who paint it as ‘anti-Malay’ and ‘anti-Islam’
- A favourite to take the party’s reins is Anthony Loke Siew Fook, an ethnic Chinese politician fluent in Cantonese, whose appeal is said to cross ethnic and religious divides
Observers say the DAP needs to work hard to shake off its image of being a predominantly ethnic Chinese party and project a more multiracial, more inclusive approach. They say it also needs to counter a decades-long demonisation by Malay-based parties and groups that have painted it as “anti-Malay” and “anti-Islam”. Malays account for over 60 per cent of Malaysia’s population of around 33 million, while ethnic Chinese make up about 20 per cent and Indians most of the rest. A little over 60 per cent of the population is Muslim.
Given such demographics, a party dominated by ethnic Chinese might seem an unlikely candidate as the biggest bloc in parliament.
As James Chin, professor of Asia Studies at the University of Tasmania, put it: “If you go into the street and ask people, most will assume it is one of the Malay parties that is the biggest bloc in parliament.”
However, they would be wrong. “In fact, it is the DAP,” said Chin.
With 42 MPs the DAP is currently the biggest party in Malaysia’s 222 seat parliament. Even so, analysts say it needs to reach out to Malay voters if it wants to maximise its chances of getting back into power as part of a coalition government.
