KUCHING: DAP is likely to remain in Pakatan Harapan (PH) until the next general election despite growing dissatisfaction within its ranks, political pundit Datuk Peter Minos said.
He said while some DAP delegates could push for the party to leave PH, the prospect of ministers and deputy ministers giving up their positions and benefits could make an immediate political divorce unlikely.
“The salaries and perks are too good and I really wonder if DAP ministers and deputy ministers will want to get out of the unity government led by PH,” he said.
Minos said the final decision, however, would rest with more than 4,000 DAP delegates attending the party’s general assembly tomorrow (Aug 16).
“If they feel DAP is badly losing and not gaining much from being in PH, they will not vote accordingly. We cannot really tell. We just wait and keep our fingers crossed,” he said.
He said DAP delegates should reflect on the party’s election performance in Sabah, as well as its losses in Johor and Negri Sembilan, when deciding the party’s political direction.
“If I am in DAP, I would reflect at the election wipeout in Sabah, the bad losses in Johore and Negri Sembilan and see little or no future with unpopular PH and will vote accordingly,” he said.
Minos said there could be three broad groups among DAP delegates — those supporting continued cooperation with PH and Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, those favouring an exit due to declining confidence in PH and Anwar, and undecided delegates who could determine their position at the last moment.
“We do not know which is the biggest group now,” he said.
However, based on information from his sources, Minos predicted that a majority of DAP delegates would support remaining in PH and the Federal Government until the next general election.
“My sources say the DAP delegates will in majority go for continuation with PH and Anwar till the next general election (GE),” he said.
He predicted that DAP could eventually contest the GE on its own before seeking a new political partnership after the polls.
“By GE DAP will be on its own. After GE it will team up with BN/PN, which is likely to win more seats. DAP still want to be in government,” he said.
