DAP's greatest achievement for the country's political system is the realisation of a two-party system in Malaysia, said Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow.
As the person holding the sole non-Bumiputra chief ministership of Penang, Chow said that DAP, through its founding generation of leaders, helped the country to realise that no one party is the undisputed champion.
It is precisely because of the party's continuous struggle that no political party can now consider itself the ruling party before or after a general election, said Chow in a special interview with the Chinese vernacular media, Oriental Daily.
The interview was scheduled to mark the 60th anniversary of DAP this year.
"DAP facilitated the two-party system of checks and balances in Malaysia, which is a major democratic process; the Penang Chief Minister's (two) term limit was also achieved, and allowing governance to flourish after the change of parties is honourable," said Chow.
Among the achievements he cited that the party has brought to Penang since 2008 is a greener, cleaner, and more liveable urban landscape, continuously optimised urban management and development, timely handling of livelihood issues, industrial upgrading within the state, and people-oriented policies.
Chow, who is a former Penang DAP chairman, is also at the crossroads as his term as chief minister ends when the next state election is called, with party secretary-general Anthony Loke Siew Fook openly stating that it is better for Penang to now follow the national election dates to save costs.
When asked about Penang's most commendable achievement, the Batu Kawan Member of Parliament revealed that as early as the 1990s, the industrial sector had faced a wave of industrial relocation, with many companies moving to China.
To consolidate Penang's position in the semiconductor industry, the Penang state government began to promote a reinvention and innovation strategy.
In the last 10 years, he said, Penang has made great strides in the international semiconductor field by building on its existing foundation and keeping up with global trends.
He added that one of the efforts is to promote industrial transformation, moving from traditional packaging and testing to a high-value industrial chain through initiatives such as "Penang Silicon Design @ 5km+", thereby attracting more high-quality semiconductor industries to Penang.
"Due to the rapid development of industries, industrial land in the state is in short supply. Therefore, industrial land that was originally supplied only by the Penang Development Corporation has also been introduced to the private sector for the development of industrial parks to meet market demand."
He said that Penang's trade figures were still outstanding this year.
Even in the face of the impact of the new US tariff policy, the state was still able to maintain a stable situation and received many inquiries in terms of attracting investment.
He believes that the people's opinion on the government's performance is one of the main considerations.
After Pakatan Harapan (PH) governed Penang for 18 years, he believes that the impression PH has given the people in Penang is that of a state government that puts the people first and takes care of them.
"We have taken good care of the most basic living needs, such as water and electricity supply, urban services and management, garbage disposal, city appearance management and environmental protection, and other livelihood issues, to meet the needs of the people."
He pointed out that in order to further promote liveable cities, Penang has been actively promoting large-scale infrastructure projects in recent years, such as the long-awaited Mutiara light rail transit (LRT) system and Silicon Valley Island reclamation project, which he believes have been widely recognised by the people.
"After the unity government came to power, the Penang LRT was finally approved, and construction is underway."
Addressing young voters, Chow Kon Yeow said that Penang's young new voters are the direct beneficiaries of PH governance, and they may have already felt the effects of Penang's changes during their secondary school years.
He cited examples of Penang's policies that target young people, including institutionalised funding for schools of all streams, various green and environmental protection projects, the "Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics" agenda, and youth volunteer programs.
He believes that these agendas are one of the ways the state government is getting closer to young voters.
At the same time, the state government is also working hard to govern Penang, hoping that young voters can feel the development of Penang in terms of urban appearance, transportation and infrastructure projects.
When discussing how to continue winning voter support, Chow pointed out that election results are composed of multiple factors, which can be divided into internal and external factors.
Internal factors are mostly related to domestic livelihoods, while external factors are influenced by international trends.
He cited examples such as how international instability can also affect the lives of people in China, such as the recent surge in diesel prices, which will lead to increased costs and put pressure on domestic production chains.
“These issues must be handled with care. Penang has indeed been affected. As a state that relies on international trade, Penang is more sensitive to the international situation. Therefore, the Invest Penang regularly reports to the state government.”
Chow admitted that PH's 18 years in power in Penang is neither a long nor a short term, but voters today no longer consider the length of a party's term in office.
"If they believe the ruling party is not performing, it will be replaced after one term."
Chow also believes in the notion of constantly moving forward to achieve the agenda, no matter how tough the present political situation may be.
Looking ahead, Chow hopes that Penang should continue to plan, rather than regress on certain issues due to political brinkmanship.
"I am a very disciplined leader, and I would feel embarrassed to let down the people's trust. I have done everything that a city can and should do, and I should be at peace with myself regarding my position and mission," Chow concluded. - April 17, 2026.
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