‘High-stakes weekend’ for PM Anwar’s PH as DAP, PKR hold crucial party congresses

Malaysia's Parti Keadilan Rakyat and Democratic Action Party face difficult questions following recent electoral setbacks. The outcomes of their congresses could have significant ramifications for PM Anwar’s grip on power, say party members and observers.

KUALA LUMPUR: Just days after undergoing surgery for an abdominal hernia on his 79th birthday on Monday (Aug 10), Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim faces a high-stakes weekend of party conferences that could have far-reaching consequences for his government.

Anwar’s Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) and its political ally Democratic Action Party (DAP) – the Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition’s two biggest parties – are holding congresses in Melaka and Putrajaya respectively.

After three consecutive state election setbacks in Sabah, Johor and, most recently, Negeri Sembilan, the spotlight is now on whether the PH heavyweights can regroup and reset their political agenda ahead of the next general election (GE) due by February 2028.

Both PKR and DAP face difficult questions following the recent electoral disappointments, and developments at both gatherings could have significant ramifications for Anwar’s grip on power.

In Sabah last November, PH was nearly wiped out, winning just one seat out of 22 it contested.

In Johor and Negeri Sembilan, the coalition was routed by a new alliance between Barisan Nasional (BN) and Perikatan Nasional (PN), which secured two-thirds majorities in both states with strong backing from the Malay-Muslim majority electorate.

BN is part of Anwar’s unity government at the federal level and PN is the national opposition bloc.

PKR’s national congress will be held in Ayer Keroh, Melaka, with the prime minister and other senior party leaders expected to address delegates on Saturday and Sunday.

Beyond the recent electoral defeats, PKR must also grapple with fresh questions over its leadership after Anwar’s daughter Nurul Izzah last week offered to resign as the party’s number two.

The 45-year-old has officially been granted a temporary leave of absence to pursue further studies. But party sources and analysts previously told CNA that her departure from the role is likely to be permanent and stems from disagreements on the political direction set by her father.

Her move leaves PKR facing a potential leadership vacuum at a delicate moment as it seeks to rebuild voter support and chart a path towards the next GE.

She had defeated former economy minister Rafizi Ramli to become PKR deputy president in party polls last year, which led to him quitting the Cabinet shortly after and leaving PKR to lead Parti Bersama Malaysia (Bersama).

A few PKR members have since joined him, including Wong Chen, a three-term member of parliament who quit PKR this week after 17 years with the party.

Arguably more consequential for Anwar will be DAP’s congress on Sunday at the Putrajaya International Convention Centre, where more than 4,000 delegates are set to vote on whether the party should remain in the Cabinet – or whether its five full ministers and seven deputy ministers should relinquish their posts.

DAP decided to hold the vote after the November 2025 Sabah state election where it won none of the eight seats it had contested.

Initially scheduled for Jul 12, the congress was postponed due to the Johor and Negeri Sembilan state elections, which saw DAP's seat counts drop from 10 to six and 11 to nine, respectively.

A DAP – PH’s largest component party in federal parliament – withdrawal from the Cabinet would pose a serious threat to Anwar’s administration and could even force him to call an early GE, said analysts.

“This is a high-stakes weekend for both parties ahead of the next general election. It’s really crucial,” political analyst James Chin said.

“For Anwar, he has to wait and see how the DAP votes and how (his own party) PKR reacts to his own daughter stepping down.”

DAP LIKELY TO STAY IN GOVERNMENT: SOURCES

According to analysts and DAP leaders CNA spoke to, delegates are leaning towards its ministers remaining in the current government.

Former Johor assemblyperson Boo Cheng Hau said that while delegates overwhelmingly favour the DAP ministers staying in government, fulfilling PH’s manifesto promises remains a key caveat.

“Even though it would be tough to implement 100 per cent of the manifesto promises, there must be determination and sincerity to fulfil as much as possible before the end of the current term,” said Boo, who is eligible to vote at the congress.

He believes the party can still make a comeback after recent setbacks, but said DAP has to make clear its position on institutional and political reforms to its PH coalition partners and to other component parties in the unity government.

Boo added that an exit of DAP ministers from the government would delight its opponents and could even force snap elections.

“There could be an ‘earthquake’ if DAP left the Cabinet as we are a major party in the ruling coalition,” he said.

DAP holds 40 parliamentary seats in Malaysia’s 222-member lower house – the most seats in PH, which also comprises Anwar’s PKR and Parti Amanah Negara, which hold 29 and eight seats respectively.

DAP has said it will maintain parliamentary support for the government until the end of its term, even if its delegates vote for DAP’s ministers to quit.

Bukit Gasing assemblyman Rajiv Rishyakaran agreed that a DAP withdrawal from the Cabinet could easily trigger snap polls.

“It is not about Anwar wanting to dissolve the parliament but BN chairman Ahmad Zahid Hamidi using the DAP decision as a reason to pull support from the government and push for polls,” he explained.

He believed that while sentiments were mixed in the party, delegates would ultimately choose for DAP ministers to stay in the government.

“I think most feel that we will be better served if we stay … But there are still a few days left, so anything can happen,” he said.

DAP deputy secretary-general Ramkarpal Singh said: “We have left it to the delegates and there is no compulsion for them to vote in any certain way.”

In a statement on Aug 14, Ramkarpal said that while there are good reasons for DAP ministers to stay in the government for the remainder of the parliamentary term, he believed it should be made clear that delegates are at liberty to revisit their decision if there are compelling reasons to do so in future.

“It is important for this to be emphasised as there might be a false impression that a vote to remain in government for the rest of this parliamentary term equals a vote to remain no matter what, even if events that unfold in the future prove to be detrimental to the interests of the party,” he said.

Analyst Chin, a professor of Asian Studies at the University of Tasmania, also predicted DAP would choose to stay in government, but that the ministers would be told they need to convince Anwar to carry out all the promised reforms.

“Their role would be to pressure Anwar as much as possible and undertake the reforms (that were promised),” he said, adding that DAP had waited a long time to be in government and would not squander the chance they have been given.

The party has spoken about strengthening the independence of the judiciary, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), and the Attorney General’s Chambers, among other things.

On Aug 11, Perak DAP announced it would vote to remain in the unity government to fulfill election promises and ensure political stability, pointing to the country's past political turmoil.

"Political instability has affected the economy and investor confidence. That bitter experience must not repeat itself,” it said in a statement.

WILL PKR WEIGH UNLIKELY ALLIANCES?

To counter the BN-PN pact that has proven formidable in Johor and Negeri Sembilan, some political observers have mooted the possibility of PKR using its congress to seek other political alliances to bolster prospects ahead of the next national polls.

PH’s election director Amirudin Shari, who is also PKR vice-president, reportedly said on Monday PH was open to cooperating with “not just Bersatu or Perikatan Nasional (PN) … provided the underlying principles remain political stability and the well-being of the people”.

Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) is part of PN, though the party’s ties with the pact are strained and it contested the Negeri Sembilan polls on its own.

Amirudin’s comments have led PH leaders, including DAP MP Ramkarpal Singh, to question if the matter had been discussed by the PH top brass.

Singh reportedly said PN’s biggest component party Parti Islam Se-Malaysia (PAS)’s continual criticism of DAP was proof any collaboration is unlikely in the near term.

Some delegates are reportedly keen to raise the matter at PKR’s congress for consideration.

Azmi Hassan, a senior fellow at the Malaysia-based think tank Nusantara Academy for Strategic Research, said PKR’s current plight may leave it with no choice but to seek alliances with one-time foes like Bersatu.

The move is likely to trigger discontent among PKR members given that Bersatu played a key role in the so-called Sheraton Move in 2020 that saw the fall of the PH government led by then-PM Mahathir Mohamad.

Some PKR members led by former party number two Azmin Ali also quit the party then to join Bersatu.

“Not only PKR, but PH as a whole could do with boosting their support among the Malays. At this point, Malay support for PH is minimal and Bersatu can bolster this, even slightly,” said Azmi.

Johor PKR vice-chairman Jimmy Phua, MP for Tebrau, said potential alliances with other parties is a matter for the party's central leadership to consider and that he had no comment on the matter.

PKR senior member and Pasir Gudang MP Hassan Karim said the party could use the congress to reset its direction and bide its time before the GE.

“I think the prime minister is aware of my position - that we should hold back from calling for general elections until the end of the term if possible - hopefully at least until the end of next year,” said the 75-year-old lawyer.

“If the timeframe is pushed back, we have time to push for reforms, and make corrections and take positive steps to regain support from the people,” he added.

Political scientist Wong Chin Huat of Malaysia’s Sunway University said PKR’s best bet to win back the support of its voters is to “take a principled stance on corruption”.

Anwar has repeatedly stressed that anti-corruption has been a key plank of his government, but his administration has been criticised for its handling of issues such as investigations on former anti-graft chief Azam Baki and corporate scandals that have allegedly involved some senior PKR members.

Wong noted that the recent Tabung Haji Royal Commission of Inquiry and reports that former PM Ismail Sabri Yaakob is set to be charged with graft are positive signs, and hoped congress speakers will persuade Anwar to press on with anti-corruption efforts.

“Never mind the criticism that (acting against corruption) is so eleventh hour. Better late than never,” added Wong.

LASTING CONSEQUENCES

The developments over the weekend could have lasting consequences for PH and Anwar regardless of how DAP delegates vote, analysts said.

Azmi said the upcoming state election in Melaka, which is due before early 2027, could present an opportunity for PH to show it can turn its political fortunes around.

He cited potential cracks in the collaboration between BN and PN, reportedly over seat allocations.

“Melaka will be a test for this collaboration, and PH can use this as an opportunity to assert themselves, provided they come out of this weekend united and strong,” added Azmi.

Azmi said if DAP were to vote to pull its ministers out of the government, it could pave the way for the party, as well as PKR, to “form new alliances and coalitions”.

PKR and DAP have been political allies for around 18 years, from a loose cooperation in the 2008 general election to later formalising the pact into coalitions like Pakatan Rakyat and PH.

If DAP votes for its ministers to remain in the government, this could mark the beginning of a more assertive DAP within the unity government, said political analyst Sivamurugan Pandian of University Sains Malaysia.

“Maybe the outcome will be ‘We are staying, but things must change’,” Sivamurugan said.

“For Anwar, a DAP vote to stay is not merely about keeping DAP ministers in Cabinet. It is about keeping the political centre of gravity of the unity government intact. Stability is the keyword.”

DAP’s vote is not just a referendum on its place in the government, but one to fight GE16 as a united force under PH, he added.

As two of the parties making up the government of the day, how PKR and DAP emerge from the weekend will impact their electoral future, said political scientist Syaza Shukri of the International Islamic University Malaysia.

“People want outcomes that can improve lives and that depends on these parties closing ranks and putting in the work for the next year or so,” she said.