In good times and bad. PH will not survive without DAP, say analysts

POLITICAL analysts have offered differing but intersecting views on the potential fallout should DAP leave Pakatan Harapan (PH), with them agreeing that such a move would fundamentally reshape Malaysia’s political landscape.

Professor James Chin, an academic at Tasmania University, said PH would not survive in its current form without DAP, which he described as the coalition’s backbone.

He noted that DAP holds about 40 parliamentary seats, making it the largest bloc within PH.

“Without DAP, PH would lose roughly half of its strength. In practical terms, it is not viable,” he said.

Prof Chin also rejected the argument that PH would become more appealing to Malay voters in DAP’s absence.

He said voters who prioritise Malay supremacy narratives are already aligned with PAS or Bersatu.

“With or without DAP, PH does not gain traction among that segment. If DAP were to leave, it would likely lead to the collapse of PH,” he added.

Tensions between DAP and Umno has almost reached a boiling point after several leaders from DAP poked fun at former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s failure to obtain a house arrest ordee from the Kuala Lumpur High Court recently.

Umno retaliated with its Selangor chapter submitting a memorandum of protest in front of the office of Puchong Member of Parliament, Yeo Bee Yin to condemn the representative's statements and social media posts which were allegedly rude, cynical and were politically provocative.

Yeoh was reported to have uploaded a post believed to be referring to the Kuala Lumpur High Court’s decision rejecting Najib’s judicial review application regarding the Royal Addendum which aimed to allow him to serve the remainder of his prison sentence under house arrest.

In the post, Yeoh reportedly wrote: “Another reason to celebrate the end of the year.”

The post was uploaded hours after High Court Judge Alice Loke Yee Ching ruled that the Addendum was never discussed or decided at the 61st Pardons Board Meeting which convened on January 29, 2024.

The memorandum stated strong objection to Yeoh’s statements which allegedly belittled legal issues involving Najib, in addition to tarnishing political harmony in the Unity Government.

Selangor UMNO Youth chief, Datuk Mohd Imran Tamrin said, as a member of Parliament and leader in the government, such actions are deemed irresponsible and contrary to the ethics of leadership and the spirit of unity that are often preached.

“We strongly object to statements that are sarcastic and seem to celebrate the hardships of other parties, especially involving the judicial process,” he said.

Echoing the importance of DAP’s electoral machinery, Dr Azmi Hassan of Akademi Nusantara pointed to the 15th General Election (GE15) results, noting that many PKR and Amanah candidates won their seats with strong support from DAP voters.

“Based on the 2022 election results, PKR and Amanah depend on DAP’s support. In this sense, PH — particularly PKR and Amanah — needs DAP,” he said.

However, Azmi said a DAP exit could open up a different political dynamic, particularly for Barisan Nasional (BN).

He argued that if DAP were no longer part of PH, Chinese voters would likely need to be courted by BN through parties such as MCA and MIC.

From UMNO’s perspective, he added, a PH without DAP could simplify negotiations on seat allocations due to fewer overlaps compared with negotiations involving PAS and Bersatu.

“In such a scenario, PH and BN could find it easier to negotiate seat distribution because there would be less overlap,” Azmi said.

Nevertheless, he cautioned that the strongest political arrangement, particularly in terms of consolidating Malay voters, would ideally include Perikatan Nasional (PN).

“A broader arrangement that includes PN would be stronger from the standpoint of Malay voter support,” he added. – December 25, 2025