The Democratic Action Party (DAP) held its national congress on August 16, 2026, at the Putrajaya International Convention Centre, where delegates decided whether to remain in the unity government [1, 2, 3, 4].
Over 4,000 delegates from across Malaysia took part in a secret ballot vote, marking a shift from past voting methods which used voice or show-of-hands votes [2, 3, 4, 5]. The secret ballot was conducted to ensure transparency and fairness during the decision-making process [3, 4, 5].
DAP delegates voted overwhelmingly to remain in the unity government, with 1,857 delegates or 88.2% supporting the move to continue participation [6]. DAP will retain its five Cabinet positions and seven deputy minister posts within the coalition [6]. The party is the largest member of the unity government, holding 40 parliamentary seats [6].
Johor DAP chairman Teo Nie Ching emphasized the autonomy given to delegates, stating, "We are giving delegates the freedom to make the decision at this Sunday’s conference. Johor will abide by the decision made on Sunday" [1]. This reflected a desire to respect the unity of the party despite local differences [7, 8].
In the days leading to the vote, several state leaders urged continued participation to maintain political stability and advance ongoing reforms. Lim Hooi Yee, a delegate from Kedah, said, "Don't let this defeat cause us to punish the entire federal government and mortgage the future of the people and the nation. If we leave the government, we may get the space to shout and criticise. But we will lose the most important space of all — a seat at the decision-making table to defend the people's welfare and correct flawed policies" [9, 10].
DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke framed the decision as a choice between remaining in government to push reforms or becoming an external pressure group, stating, "Today we want to determine whether the direction we take is to remain in government until the end of the term so that we can continue to carry out our duties, try to influence and bring about changes, or we play a role as a pressure group within the government" [2].
The vote came amid internal party challenges following electoral setbacks in Sabah, Johor, and Negri Sembilan earlier in the year [11, 4, 5]. The congress also coincided with the 60th anniversary of the DAP’s founding [3].
Delegates began voting around 1 p.m. during the congress, and the results were confirmed later that day [4, 5, 6]. The party will continue its role in the unity government while holding onto key cabinet posts following the vote [6].
