DAP staunch ally but never 'yes-man' party, Guan Eng tells Anwar

Summary

• DAP chairperson Lim Guan Eng stresses the party's position as a strong supporter of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, but the Pakatan Harapan component is not a blind follower.

• Lim reiterates the party's priority to serve its voters and the people.

DAP chairperson Lim Guan Eng has stressed that the Pakatan Harapan component, while a staunch ally of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, will never be a "yes-man" party.

In his speech at the 18th National DAP Congress today, Lim led 3,204 delegates and other party leaders at the Ideal Convention Centre in Shah Alam to applaud Anwar who attended for the first time in his capacity as prime minister.

"DAP has been your staunchest ally as demonstrated by successive DAP secretaries-general from Lim Kit Siang to Anthony Loke.

"DAP is proud that we helped you become the prime minister and will continue to do so," he said.

"Let us rise and applaud Anwar for his success. However, let me stress that DAP is not a ‘yes-man’ party. DAP is only a ‘yes-man’ to our voters and the people of Malaysia," stressed Lim (above).

Economic safeguards needed

In commending various political and institutional reforms introduced within the last 28 months in power, Lim noted a need for accelerated economic reforms to safeguard the country's future.

He cited US President Donald Trump's planned tariff policies with the reported potential to impact Malaysia's exports, among others.

"We hope that additional financial assistance can be given to businesses affected by Trump's tariffs, as well as postpone or delay some financial policies that will impose extra monetary burdens," the former finance minister said.

In his speech, Lim also credited DAP veterans sitting out of the Central Executive Committee (CEC) contest this year - Cheras MP Tan Kok Wai, Bukit Bintang MP Fong Kui Lun and Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reform) M Kulasegaran.

Lim had entered this year's congress amid speculations over his future as DAP chairperson and position in the CEC, but the Bagan MP reaffirmed today that only the secretary-general is empowered to set the party's direction.

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