BN victory in NS could trigger calls for DAP to leave govt, says Kian Ming

Former Bangi MP Ong Kian Ming says this may also pile pressure on the government to dissolve Parliament.

Speaking on the latest episode of the Keluar Sekejap podcast, the DAP man said the key question was whether BN could secure enough seats to form the state government on its own, or with limited support from Perikatan Nasional, after the Aug 1 Negeri Sembilan polls.

“I think (a BN victory) will place enormous pressure on DAP to leave the government,” he said.

“It will also provide an excuse not only for BN, but perhaps also for Gabungan Parti Sarawak and Gabungan Rakyat Sabah, to argue that with DAP’s five ministers and seven deputy ministers gone, the government is no longer stable and they would propose that the prime minister dissolve Parliament.

“I think that is a highly likely direction for events.”

In February, DAP secretary-general Loke Siew Fook said the 4,000 delegates attending the party’s Aug 12 special congress, which was originally set for July 12, would vote to decide whether DAP leaders should resign as ministers, deputy ministers, executive councillors, local councillors, and GLC appointees.

Loke’s announcement came about two months after he said DAP would work closely with Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim to accelerate reforms over the next six months following the party’s and Pakatan Harapan’s drubbing in the Sabah state election.

DAP lost all the eight seats it contested in the Sabah election last November.

It also saw its 10 seats dwindle to six in last Saturday’s Johor polls, with three lost to MCA (Tangkak, Jementah and Johor Jaya) and one to MIC (Perling), while clinging on to Bentayan, Mengkibol, Stulang, Penggaram, Senai and Skudai

Asked whether now would be the best time for DAP to leave the government, Ong said the party could be forced to make such a decision if PH loses the Negeri Sembilan state election.

PH and BN will both be contesting all the 36 seats up for grabs in the Aug 1 Negeri Sembilan polls. PH won 17 seats, BN 14 and PN five at the last state election in 2023.

“What DAP may try to do, or perhaps be forced to do, is for the delegates at its special congress on Aug 16 to vote on whether the party should resign from its positions in the Madani government,” he said.

“If they resign, they may have a chance to regain the moral high ground and campaign independently.

“That may be something DAP will be forced to do and I think the likelihood will increase if PH loses Negeri Sembilan.”