DAP faced a Hobson’s choice

By Murray Hunter

WHILE two political party congresses went on yesterday, where PKR president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim outlined a strategy to regenerate popularity for Pakatan Harapan, and the DAP had to select the best road to travel on to maximise their vote in the coming general election, it faced a Hobson’s choice.

A Hobson's choice is a free choice in which only one thing is actually offered. 

In the case of the DAP, the party membership vote on whether to remain within the Madani government or leave it is a Hobson’s choice.

Any decision the DAP makes won’t make much difference to their future electoral prospects.

Over the last few days there has been a heavy social media campaign by certain stakeholders for DAP members to vote to remain in the Madani government.

Sceptical commentators claim this is an effort on behalf of the sitting ministers to maintain the status quo so they can retain their privileged positions until the next general election.

However, there are much deeper issues than that.

If the DAP leaves the Madani government, then the government could potentially fall. This is in the direct interests of UMNO who use social media to push the DAP to leave the government.

It is probable the rakyat won’t look at the DAP any more favourably. Some will actually label the DAP as disloyal traitors.

If the DAP remain in government, then they would be committed to Prime Minister Anwar’s plan to rekindle support through economic assistance for the B40 and other efforts.

Anwar has effectively 18 months to do this. Any future destabilisation of the Madani government would be more likely to come from UMNO than anywhere else.

UMNO clearly has a plan for this, after the Melaka state election.

The DAP has two new players which will be targeting them in the coming election.

The first will be Datuk Seri Rafizi Ramli’s Party Bersama.

However, Bersama has to show a much bigger spark than it did in the Johor State election, where all deposits were lost.

The second new player is former DAP veteran Ronnie Liu’s Party Bersatu Malaysia. Ronnie is shaping PBM around the original DAP spirit of a people’s democracy that would be transparent, fair and provide justice for all under a set of universal values.

Consequently, DAP candidates in the coming general election would be competing against a former ghost of themselves that might present more difficulties.

Let’s not forget the MCA that did some damage to the DAP, particularly in Johor.

To survive, the DAP may be better off making a counterintuitive decision to stay within the Madani government and fight it as a united Pakatan Harapan.

The DAP is staying inside the Madani government.

This is a spoiler on the UMNO strategy to divide Pakatan Harapan, and also provides Prime Minister Anwar with a strong ally to fight back. – August 17, 2026