PENANG and Kedah DAP have not reached an agreement on whether the party should remain in or exit the Madani government, leaving it to the wisdom of the delegates at the upcoming congress to decide.
Unlike Perak DAP, which decided to support DAP remaining in the federal government, last night's briefing with DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke Siew Fook was mostly inconclusive.
Loke left without meeting the media after briefing some 1,000 delegates at the Iconic Marjorie Hotel.
After a series of defeats at the state level, DAP has lost ground after an impressive streak in the 2018 and 2022 federal elections.
Penang DAP chairman Steven Sim Chee Keong and Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow also declined to comment on the situation.
Penang veteran Datuk Seri Phee Boon Poh said: "A captain should be the last to flee a sinking vessel. We should stay but with terms and conditions attached."
Kedah DAP chairman Tan Kok Yew said that he has left it entirely to the delegates to decide.
"I have instructed them to go down to the ground to get the voices of the grassroots and channel it at the special congress. The grassroots must decide, not the central executive committee (CEC)," said the former state executive councillor.
DAP national veterans' club chief Lay Hock Peng echoed a similar situation, saying that the party believes in the wisdom of the delegates to decide its recourse.
Lay agreed that DAP's Pakatan Harapan coalition partners - PKR and Amanah need to redouble their efforts with the party to regain lost ground before the next general election can be called.
Lay said that Penang's some 900 delegates have the maturity and wisdom to decide how the party would react to the vote.
Some 4,000 delegates nationwide are eligible to vote come Saturday at the special congress in Kuala Lumpur.
Another party veteran, Jeffrey Chew Gim Eam, said that the real political rival for DAP is not the people, but PAS, an Islamist party, which is intent on employing race and religion factors to drive away support for the party.
"We must be clear and concise. Know who our real enemy is and focus on them instead of buying into half-truths and speculations purely."
Seri Delima assemblyman Connie Tan Hooi Peng said that the party leadership has left it to the delegates to decide.
The stance in Penang and Kedah differed from Perak after its adviser Datuk Seri Ngeh Koo Ham proclaimed that DAP should stay in the government to deter its rivals from exploiting the issue any further.
After Ngeh's remarks last weekend, reports have emerged that Perak DAP unanimously decided to remain in government. - August 13, 2026.
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