SHAH ALAM, Dec 4 — The DAP has never demanded for the prime minister post to be held by an ethnic Chinese Malaysian, but has always backed Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim for the role, its secretary-general Lim Guan Eng said today.

Lim also said DAP will not seek to dominate if the federal opposition pact, Pakatan Harapan, wins the general elections, but will instead be a "fair and responsible partner” in the federal government.

"Being aware of issues that concern Malays and Muslims, DAP has never sought the position of the prime minister.

"And we have never asked for a Chinese to be a prime minister but has always supported a Malay, especially Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim as prime minister,” he said in his policy speech at the DAP national conference today.

Earlier in his speech, Lim also said DAP reaffirmed the tenets under the DAP@50 Declaration — which was adopted at the end of the conference — in line with the party’s 50th anniversary this year.

The points affirmed included the upholding Bahasa Malaysia’s position as the national language while encouraging the use of mother tongues, preserving the Malay and Bumiputera communities’ special position while protecting the rights of other ethnic groups, safeguarding Islam’s role as the religion of the federation, while championing freedom of practice for other religions.

Lim quizzed if the points affirmed by DAP were wrong or examples of alleged "extreme liberalism” threatening Malays and Islam, noting that the federal opposition is still branded "anti-Islam” despite doubling the allocations for Islam in Penang during its administration when compared to Barisan Nasional’s rule.

"It is time for us to reject identity politics that divides us through the politics of communal identity that breeds hate and fear.

"DAP rejects racially-based parties and recognises the importance of working with all parties especially Malay parties and prominent Malay personalities,” the Penang chief minister said.

Former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who was also present at the event, nodded at Lim’s assurance regarding the prime minister post and said that Umno’s alleged claim that DAP wanted a Chinese prime minister was an attempt to use "racist sentiments to win the hearts of Malays”.