PRIME Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim might argue that it is too early for a Cabinet reshuffle.
This follows the resignation of Transport Minister Anthony Loke Siew Fook and the uncertainty surrounding the tenure of Finance Minister II Amir Hamzah Azizan which expires on Dec 12.
Deputy Prime Minister and UMNO president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has suggested that instead of considering a Cabinet reshuffle, Anwar should think about dissolving Parliament and calling for fresh national elections.
Whether one agrees with the Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman or otherwise, his suggestion that Anwar seek a fresh mandate appears to reflect BN’s electoral success in the recent Johor and Negeri Sembilan state elections does make valid sense.
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It seems almost a foregone conclusion that the electoral arrangement between UMNO and PAS will deliver electoral success in Melaka.
UMNO/BN is contesting 21 of the 28 seats. The remaining seats are shared between PAS, WAWASAN and other Perikatan Nasional (PN) component parties.
Cabinet reshuffle makes little sense
Despite Anwar’s synthetic bravado about fighting corruption, attracting investment and other achievements, he remains one of the weakest and most unpopular prime ministers the country has seen.
His prevarication over the pardon and house arrest of disgraced former premier Datuk Seri Najib Razak was a clear sign of his indecisiveness as a politician and national leader.
A BN victory in Melaka would send a clear message that Anwar has little choice but to consider calling GE16 (16th General Election) much earlier than the February 2028 deadline. Under such circumstances, a Cabinet reshuffle would make little political sense.
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Loke’s delayed resignation was also a sign that all is not well within DAP. By changing the goalposts, Loke has revealed that DAP is no longer the party it once was.
Perhaps some within DAP believe that the sooner the party leaves the Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition, the better its chances of regaining favour with the Chinese community.
Unfortunately, the present DAP leadership appears unwilling to take the challenge of leaving the government.
It is a proverbial case of clutching at straws even as the party faces the prospect of sinking into political doldrums.
Impact-less DAP
Some political analysts argue that since DAP has no say in whether Najib received a pardon that led to his house arrest, why then should the party continue to support the Madani government with its 40 MPs and five Cabinet positions?
Well, if DAP has no influence over the administration of the ruling government, it should throw in the towel and quit the government.
In fact, DAP leaders in the Cabinet should resign. More than that, DAP ministers should also relinquish their respective party positions.
Other than its symbolic presence in federal and state governments and its representation in GLCs (government-linked companies), DAP appears to be a politically castrated party. It has little impact on national politics.
In the recent past, the DAP’s appeal to the Chinese community rested largely on invoking the threat of PAS. Take PAS out of the political equation and DAP would fall flat on its face. Such is the nature of the party’s politics in the Malaysian political arena.
Yet, DAP was represented on the Federal Territories Pardons Board through Federal Territories Minister Hannah Yeoh. Despite this representation, it could not oppose the pardon granted to Najib.
In any case, Malaysians will have to await the full disclosure of the Pardons Board meeting minutes. Only then can they determine the respective positions of the government and Segambut MP Yeoh on Najib’s pardon.
The drama surrounding secretary-general Anthony Loke’s resignation was much ado about nothing. Ultimately, he resigned not because of the pardon granted to Najib but on the day Najib returned to serve his sentence under house arrest.
It serves no purpose for other DAP leaders to volunteer their resignations, especially when such gestures would mean little. Even if all DAP lawmakers were to withdraw their support for the government, there is no indication that the PH coalition would collapse.
PMX has already secured the support of several Bersatu MPs through a confidence and supply agreement. DAP is caught between the devil and the deep blue sea. – Nov 11, 2026
Former DAP stalwart and Penang deputy chief minister II Prof Ramasamy Palanisamy is chairman of the United Rights of Malaysian Party (Urimai) interim council.
The views expressed are solely of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Focus Malaysia.
Main image credit: Jason Yew (@jasonyew_)/Threads
