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From Charles Santiago
DAP’s crushing defeat in Sabah is more than just a local political tremor. It’s a full-blown backlash, especially among Chinese voters who once formed the party’s core support.
When your most loyal base turns away, it’s not a warning sign anymore; it’s a verdict.
And if DAP thinks this anger is confined to Sabah, it’s deluding itself. The same resentment is simmering in Peninsular Malaysia.
People are tired of being taken for granted, tired of mixed signals, and tired of a party that seems unsure of what it stands for whenever power is at stake.
DAP needs to return to basics: people-centred issues, cost of living, livelihoods, governance, accountability, transparency and public service. These are the fundamentals on which the party built its reputation; not political manoeuvring or coalition acrobatics.
Losing sight of this is exactly how it lost in the Sabah polls.
There’s also no escaping the issue of tone. A perception of arrogance has taken root, a sense that the party preaches more than it listens.
That has to end. Voters don’t owe any party their loyalty; parties owe the people humility and hard work.
For years, DAP branded itself as the party of ordinary Malaysians, the party that dared to speak truth to power. That identity has blurred.
To survive, DAP must behave like a party of the people again and by that, I mean by being grounded, disciplined, and focused on service, not posturing.
Sabah’s results weren’t a fluke. They were a message.
Whether DAP listens now will determine if this is just a setback or the beginning of a nationwide slide.
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Charles Santiago is the former Klang MP from DAP.
The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of FMT.

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