PH-BN alliance put to the test amid furore over upside-down flag

Clash between youth wings of DAP, Umno could disrupt the harmony within unity govt

- Lu Wei Hoong

KUALA LUMPUR - Growing calls by the Democratic Action Party (DAP) youth wings in several states to sever ties with Umno Youth chief Akmal Saleh have once again put the fragile alliance between the two main coalitions in Malaysia's unity government — Pakatan Harapan (PH) and Barisan Nasional (BN) — to the test.

Already, DAP Youth chapters in at least six states have raised concerns over Datuk Akmal's actions in reaction to an upside-down Malaysia flag incident on Aug 9, urging its national leadership to end all political cooperation with him.

After the incident where a Chinese hardware shopkeeper mistakenly hoisted an upside-down flag of Malaysia outside his shop in Penang on Aug 9, Dr Akmal led a crowd of more than 200 people, including opposition Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia Youth chief Hilman Idham, to protest over the matter. This was despite the shop owner, Mr Pang Chin Tian, already apologising for the unintentional mistake before the protest march.

While the two parties have clashed publicly on several issues even after becoming key components of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim's government in 2022, it appears that this time, both sides are digging in their heels.

Political scientist Wong Chin Huat of Sunway University told The Straits Times: "By witch-hunting and scapegoating Mr Pang, Dr Akmal is trying to stage a very old smear campaign: That Chinese Malaysians are not loyal. DAP's strong response is therefore understandable."

DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke, who is Malaysia's Minister of Transport, called Dr Akmal's actions "extreme", and on Aug 15 instructed DAP Youth to lodge a police report against the Umno Youth leader for "bullying and intimidation". Shortly after, DAP Youth chapters from Penang, Kedah, the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur, Negeri Sembilan, Sabah and Sarawak made separate calls for their party to cut political ties with Dr Akmal.