Pakatan Harapan's strength is in coalition cooperation, not just DAP: Leader

The strength of Malaysia's Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition is derived from the collective efforts of all its component parties, including PKR and Parti Amanah Negara (Amanah), rather than being solely dependent on the Democratic Action Party (DAP). This perspective was shared by DAP Deputy Secretary-General Tengku Zulpuri Shah Raja Puri in a statement to Utusan Malaysia.

He emphasized that historical precedents demonstrate PH's success is a product of inter-party collaboration. Tengku Zulpuri pointed to the victories achieved by Pakatan Rakyat (PR) in Penang and Selangor in 2008 as prime examples. More recently, he highlighted the formation of the current unity government in 2022, which involved PH, Barisan Nasional (BN), and parties from Sabah and Sarawak, as a testament to the importance of broad cooperation, especially when prioritizing national stability and economic well-being under the direction of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.

Tengku Zulpuri also commented on the political dynamics within the ruling coalition, suggesting that the Prime Minister has opted for "smaller calamities over larger ones." He criticized certain BN leaders for allegedly prioritizing power struggles over leadership stability, even collaborating with Perikatan Nasional (PN) to secure their positions. This contrasts with the Prime Minister's focus on national stability.

The DAP leader's remarks come in the wake of comments by former Bangi Member of Parliament Ong Kiang Ming, who suggested that Penang might be DAP's "last fortress" and urged the party to reassess its political strategies. Additionally, Tebing Tinggi State Assemblyman Abdul Aziz Bari acknowledged a decline in voter support for DAP but noted that voters still face difficulties finding alternatives to the current government. He speculated that any government succeeding the current one might not last long, potentially only about a year and a half.