KUALA LUMPUR – Grassroots leaders within DAP are strongly opposing any move for the party to surrender its seats to Barisan Nasional (BN) in the next general election (GE16), particularly to MCA and MIC.
The idea of “donating” seats to BN’s minority component parties has emerged in light of the coalition pact between Pakatan Harapan (PH) and BN.
However, grassroots leaders who spoke to Scoop warned against the move, citing risks of alienating voters, backlash from party members, and the weak presence of MCA and MIC on the ground.
In last year’s state elections, DAP ceded the Dusun Tua seat in Selangor to Umnno under the pact. Yet, party members are now voicing concerns about repeating such moves in GE16.
A betrayal of voters’ trust
Penang DAP Socialist Youth (Dapsy) committee member Farid Maulud said giving up seats to MCA and MIC would alienate voters who had rejected those parties in the past.
“Even if we want to give (seats) to MIC and MCA, they are absent on the ground, and that would pose trouble for our voters since our voters elected us because they did not want both MCA and MIC,” Farid said.
He argued that such a move would be perceived as betraying voters’ trust. “If we (DAP) gave up our seats for them, it is as if we have betrayed our voters,” he added.
Farid noted that many DAP members had joined the party specifically because they opposed MCA and MIC. Allowing these BN component parties to contest in DAP’s seats could demoralise the grassroots, he warned.
He also called for a thorough analysis of constituencies before considering any seat-sharing arrangements. “We need to look at the scenario where the party contesting in a particular seat instead of DAP can win or not,” he said.
Happy Valley DAP division chairman R. Ganeson echoed these concerns, particularly in Penang, where DAP has been in power for four terms.
“Penangites soundly rejected MCA and MIC in the 2008 general election. Bringing them back by offering them seats will be tantamount to working against the wishes of the rakyat,” he said.
Ganeson highlighted that grassroots members have not forgotten how DAP was treated under BN’s rule, pointing to decades of marginalisation by the UMNO-led coalition. He also emphasised that BN must reform and remove corrupt leaders before earning public trust again.
“The people totally rejected BN (in Penang) back in 2008, and therefore DAP cannot afford to gamble on the people’s feelings by giving away seats to BN,” he added.
Potential backlash if seats are ceded
Grassroots leaders have also raised concerns about how party members might react if the leadership decides to allocate seats to BN. Farid predicted vocal dissent during party conventions and state leadership meetings, while Ganeson warned of potential voter boycotts.
“We don’t want members to leave the party or boycott it, but it has happened before,” Farid said, referencing the departure of former DAP members P. Ramasamy and Satees Muniandy after they were not renominated for the 15th state elections.
Ganeson added that such decisions could harm DAP leaders’ standings in party elections and reduce voter turnout, as seen in the Sg Bakap by-election in July.
Farid urged the party to adhere to the incumbency formula, where the winning party retains its seats, to avoid internal conflict. He noted that under the pact, the party finishing second in a contest against Perikatan Nasional (PN) would get the chance to contest in the next election.
“For example, if PN won in Place A, but BN came second and DAP came third, BN should contest the seat. But if DAP came second, we will ask for it,” he explained.
Redelineation as a long-term solution
Banting assemblyman and Selangor executive councillor V. Papparaidu suggested addressing the seat allocation issue through the upcoming redelineation exercise in 2026.
“Now, it is time for us to redraw the boundaries so that many seats can be created and shared among these (parties),” he said.
PH and BN leaders have yet to formally agree on collaboration for GE16. Earlier this month, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim hinted at the possibility of cooperation, provided it aligns with the principles of good governance and public policies under the Madani government.
As the debate unfolds, grassroots leaders remain steadfast in their opposition to giving up DAP seats, underscoring the potential risks to voter confidence and party unity. – November 24, 2024