A warning shot to DAP about its political partners

Anwar Ibrahim has finally met the Yang di-Pertuan Agong over his claim of having secured enough support to form the next government.

Save for Anwar himself and those in his inner circle, nobody knows for sure if he has the numbers. If he has, good for him; otherwise, he’ll just have to live with the ignominy of unsuccessfully pulling the “I have the numbers” stunt one too many times.

My concern is not so much whether or not Anwar has the numbers, but where DAP stands in the midst of the political wheeling and dealing.

For the longest time, I have been a staunch supporter of the party. With 42 MPs, it is the party with the largest chunk of federal lawmakers. And unlike Umno which has many factions, DAP is one solid bloc.

Obviously, DAP still harbours hopes of returning to Putrajaya given its short 22-month stint there. After all, 2018 was the first time the party had made inroads into the federal government since its formation in 1965.

But at what cost does it want to return to power? Is the party willing to sacrifice its principles by joining forces with the likes of Najib Razak and Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, whom the party has vilified for years, if not decades?

To be fair, Anwar has yet to reveal if the Umno MPs above and others like Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor and Bung Moktar Radin – all facing corruption charges – are on the PKR president’s list of supporters to be the country’s ninth PM.

But it wouldn’t be a stretch to imagine that they are. These are the people who stand to gain by cutting deals with Anwar. Other Umno MPs who already hold government posts or were appointed into GLCs would likely prefer the status quo.

On Wednesday, Najib in a Facebook post said surely DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng would be pleased to work with Umno. Whether that was said in jest or otherwise, the prospect is indeed terrifying!

If DAP chooses to side with the likes of Bossku and Zahid, the latter of whom faces a record 87 corruption charges, the party can rest assured that it will lose huge support in the next general election. Consider this a warning shot from a staunch supporter.

There are some lines that cannot be crossed no matter what and some principles that cannot be bent, not even for expediency’s sake. As it is, DAP was already seen to be overly bending backwards during its short stint in power, as seen in its restraint in voicing opposition to the Perhimpunan Maruah Melayu gathering.

DAP had better heed the warning about working with the devil. If they do, the retribution at the ballot box will be swift, decisive and definitely agonising.

The views expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the position of MalaysiaNow.