KUCHING (March 17): The Sarawak Democratic Action Party (DAP) will remain significant to the national body as two Sarawakians made it to the top 30 during the 18th DAP Congress in Shah Alam on Saturday, said Datuk Prof Dr Jayum Jawan.

The political scientist and Fellow of Academy of Sciences Malaysia noted that Stampin MP Chong Chieng Jen and Lanang MP Alice Lau placed second and 16th respectively during the party polls.

“Unfortunately for Chong, this would not translate into any government position for some backdoor reasons,” Jayum told The Borneo Post today when asked to comment on the outcome of the DAP’s national party election.

Jayum, who is also a National Unity Advisory Council member and adjunct professor of the Institute of Borneo Studies, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak, observed that DAP members chose party renewal through consensus without rocking the boat.

According to him, rocking the boat would have led to a split and could even have destroyed the party with a new set of leaders rising.

“That was not what happened when DAP members decided to renew its leadership at the 18th DAP Congress. However, the party continues to be associated with being Chinese-dominated and led.

“Despite this, the election of the famous Singh in the person of Gobind Singh Deo, the son of the party former big name (Datuk Seri Utama) Karpal Singh, adds to the party’s attempt to exalt a multiracial image.

“There are also the emerging Malay leaders in the persons of Syahredzan Johan and Young Syefura Othman, who made it to the top 20th and 21st spots respectively,” he said.

Jayum pointed out that Saturday’s congress cemented the exit and dwindling influence of the Lim family in DAP, with Tan Sri Lim Kit Siang having stepped down in 2020 and Lim Guan Eng now no longer national chairman after securing 26th spot.

He said Guan Eng’s younger sister Lim Hui Ying also failed to retain her position in the central executive committee (CEC) as she did not win enough votes to be in the top 30.

“So too the experienced Theresa Kok, who is aligned with the Lims. She lost her top 30 spot as well. She was once a firebrand and previously versatile DAP Socialist Youth (Dapsy) leader having been state assemblywoman and member of the Selangor executive committee as well as a former federal minister,” he said.

The 2025 party election marked a victorious moment for Anthony Loke, who is seen as key to the new and transformative DAP, with his key ally Steven Sim securing the 11th spot.

“Steven Sim is seen as the next chief minister of Penang in the waiting. It can be expected that this change is likely to come after March party elections.

“Others likely in this new team are all new personalities in the persons of Hannah Yeoh, Yeo Bee Yin, Teo Nie Ching, Ngar Kong Ming, Liew Chin Tong, and Alice Lau,” Jayum said.

He said the DAP, with Loke as secretary-general, has assured supporters that it would transform and not just be silent partners, merely agreeing with whatever Madani leaders wish it to do.

“This was made in no uncertain terms when Loke said that DAP lawmakers were free to act based on their conscience and not follow blindly the coalition or party line. This was in relation to the foundlings of citizenship amendment,” he explained.

According to him, Loke has shown he is no longer in the Lim camp.

“Loke was reported to be reconsidering the old party stand for members not to accept titles and decoration while still active in politics,” he said.

According to him, this signals an impending change and the need to review the old stand to make it more consistent with DAP’s new direction beyond Lim.

Jayum added Loke and the new leadership have also been gracious in offering an olive branch to Guan Eng, with the post of party advisor, a nominal and ceremonial position.

On Saturday, Gobind was appointed new DAP national chairman for the term 2025 to 2028.

Nga, who previously served as DAP national vice chairman, is now deputy chairman.

The five newly-appointed vice-chairpersons are Chong, Teo, Ng Suee Lim, Syahredzan, and Arul Kumar Jambunathan.

Loke remains DAP secretary-general, with Sim, Yeoh, and Ramkarpal Singh serving as his deputies.