KOTA KINABALU, Aug 9 — National DAP organising secretary Datuk Chan Foong Hin said concerns over the lack of progress on institutional reforms, partly due to insufficient parliamentary support, will be addressed at the party’s national congress on August 16.
He said the annual congress, which will involve more than 4,000 delegates, would provide an opportunity for members to assess the party’s direction after three and a half years in government amid growing dissatisfaction at the grassroots level.
Chan acknowledged that several key reforms, including a proposed 10-year limit for the prime minister’s tenure and the separation of the roles of Attorney General and Public Prosecutor, had not been implemented due to insufficient support in Parliament.
“Without adequate support, it is difficult to carry out major reforms,” he said, questioning the absence of BN backbenchers.
He said the congress would include debates and a vote on the party’s direction, stressing that this was not a reaction to recent political developments but part of DAP’s internal democratic process.
Chan also described Malaysia’s current political landscape as “blurred”, citing recent political developments in Peninsular Malaysia following state election results, including the appearance of opposition leader Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin alongside figures aligned with the ruling bloc.
He said that Sabah is a completely different situation altogether, where party positions remain more clearly defined despite election outcomes.
He stressed the need to balance political clarity with maintaining enough parliamentary support to pass reforms and the federal budget.
“The key question is what we want to achieve in the remaining term,” he said. — The Borneo Post
