DAP’s national congress on August 16 voted to remain in the unity government, rejecting calls to leave from former PKR deputy president Rafizi Ramli [1, 2]. Attendance at the congress exceeded quorum of 25%, with over 50% of delegates present, confirming strong party engagement [2, 3].
Chow Kon Yeow, DAP central executive committee member and Penang Chief Minister, urged Rafizi to respect the congress’s decision. Speaking at the Penang Structure Plan 2040 launch, Chow said, "We ask Rafizi to respect DAP and the decision of its delegates. That is the basic thing to do, isn’t it?" [1]
Chow further noted that attendance rates for party polls and elections vary but this does not invalidate the results. "Attendance at party elections is usually around 60 to 70 per cent, while voter turnout in a general election does not necessarily reach the full number either. So, does that mean our general election is invalid because only 65 per cent came out to vote? No," he said [2].
Rafizi Ramli had criticized DAP’s decision, saying it is difficult for any party that has "enjoyed" power to give it up [1, 2]. This view highlights internal differences on the motivation behind DAP’s position.
On funding, DAP called on Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim to fulfill Pakatan Harapan’s manifesto pledge to provide equal Constituency Development Fund (CDF) allocations to all MPs. The party wants this principle institutionalized through legislation to prevent discriminatory funding. [4, 5]
DAP chairman Gobind Singh Deo said Anwar’s recent announcement to provide additional direct funds to MPs was helpful but did not address core inequalities. "PH's election manifesto expressly commits to providing equal development allocations to all MPs across the board. This is based on the principle that withholding equal funding undermines the democratic mandate of elected representatives," Gobind explained [4]. He urged Anwar “to address the delay and move forward with first providing all MPs with equal allocations, and subsequently enacting legislation that permanently secures equal constituency allocations for every MP in Malaysia" [5].
Controversy has surrounded access to the MyKhas Portal, which MPs use to apply for constituency funds. On May 22, MPs Wong Chen, Lee Chean Chung, and Rodziah Ismail reported being denied access, affecting their applications [4]. Anwar defended the system on August 7, saying government funds belong to constituents, not MPs exclusively [4].
Chow Kon Yeow also addressed state finances, noting that Penang’s revenue is limited due to scarce land compared to states like Johor. He said efforts continue to acquire and rezone land to maximise development funding opportunities [2, 3].
DAP currently holds 40 parliamentary seats and 5 federal minister posts within the MADANI unity government [3]. Gobind Singh Deo repeated the call on August 18 for legislation to enshrine equal fund allocations, underscoring the party’s ongoing push for fairness and transparency [5].
