Malaysia's DAP Transitions From Street Fighter To Moderate Player

Negotiations best done behind closed doors in Cabinet, party leaders say ahead of vote

- Lu Wei Hoong

A Malaysian political party that had often stood strongly against corruption, loudly criticised past policies that infringed on minority rights, and participated in street protests, has turned into a moderate player that works out differences behind closed doors.

Supporters of the Democratic Action Party (DAP) are scratching their heads to understand the new norm, which has developed over the past two years as the long-time opposition party has become one with the most lawmakers in Malaysia's ruling coalition.

There are party voices who want the 59-year-old DAP to continue with its record of boldly taking on controversial issues.

But party insiders insist that its leaders are still sticking to their principled stand on hot-button issues, from "halal ham sandwiches" to Chinese signboards on Malaysian streets. They are just doing it differently - as DAP is a government party, its leaders say such table-banging negotiations are best done behind closed doors with other Cabinet colleagues.

The DAP has five full Cabinet ministers and six deputy ministers in the two-year-old government led by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. It also has 40 MPs and 90 state assemblymen spread among 10 Malaysian states.

Among Malaysia's political parties, only opposition Parti Islam SeMalaysia has more MPs (43) and more state assemblymen (147).

"DAP has transformed from a party of Mandarin-speaking urban and rural voters in the 1980s to a credible representative of the Chinese community in the late 2000s. Now, the party has transformed further to be part of a multiracial ruling coalition," said Mr Adib Zalkapli, managing director of political risk consultancy Viewfinder Global Affairs.