DAP Told to ‘Do the Right Thing’: Call Anwar’s Bluff or Lose Yours
Former Democratic Action Party (DAP) veteran Ong Kian Ming on Saturday issued a public ultimatum to the party’s Central Executive Committee, urging it to press Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim to dismiss the United Malays…
Source: The Rakyat Post · September 19, 2026 at 5:49 PM · AI-assisted report
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KUALA LUMPUR, 20 SEPTEMBER 2026 —
Former Democratic Action Party (DAP) veteran Ong Kian Ming on Saturday issued a public ultimatum to the party’s Central Executive Committee, urging it to press Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim to dismiss the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) from the cabinet by Wednesday’s meeting or risk the party’s credibility, the Rakyat Post reported.
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The demand follows a surprise meeting of the national pardon board on Friday, 18 September, which granted former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak house arrest without prior public notice. UMNO, Najib’s party, immediately launched a public fundraising drive to pay the house‑arrest costs on his behalf. The party currently holds seven ministerial portfolios in Anwar’s cabinet.
In a Saturday morning assessment timed ahead of the DAP CEC’s deliberations, Ong, a former DAP MP and deputy minister, said the party should move beyond verbal dissatisfaction and set a concrete deadline for Anwar to remove UMNO from the cabinet before the Wednesday session. “Do not just say you are unhappy; give Anwar a deadline,” he wrote, urging DAP supporters to demand “more concrete actions”.
Ong’s analysis referenced recent remarks by UMNO president and Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who in recent months had openly dared Anwar to sack UMNO from the cabinet. Anwar responded with light‑hearted barbs, describing the challenge as a “normal household disagreement”. According to Ong, the dare remains “uncollected”, and DAP could provide Anwar with a reason to act.
The former DAP leader outlined the parliamentary arithmetic. Barisan Negara (BN) controls 30 seats; losing those seats would hurt the coalition but would not, on its own, collapse the government, which still holds a slim majority in the Dewan Rakyat. The 2027 budget, due before year‑end, could still pass, but seven ministerial posts would need new occupants.
Ong warned that if DAP’s 40 MPs withdrew support and BN’s 30 followed, parliament would dissolve, triggering an unscheduled general election for which no party is prepared.
Ong also linked the issue to the 1MDB scandal, describing it as a “red line” for DAP. He recalled that before the Johor state election, cabinet minister Nga Kor Ming said in an interview that he would resign if BN won big in Johor and if Najib were freed. Ong noted the statement without further comment, leaving the implication to readers.
The former Bersih marcher highlighted DAP’s recent electoral successes in the Johor and Negeri Sembilan state elections, which have restored some confidence within the party. He contrasted this resurgence with UMNO’s historical dominance, noting that Najib’s 1MDB‑related conduct ended BN’s 60‑year grip on federal power in 2018.
Ong posed a question for UMNO strategists: if rival coalition Perikatan Nasional (PN) and PAS perceive UMNO’s unconditional support for Najib as damaging public goodwill, would a BN‑PN electoral pact for the next general election become more attractive or less?
The DAP CEC is scheduled to meet on 19 September, and a statement from the party is expected after the session, according to the source. Ong concluded his note not as an analyst but as a former street activist, saying he is watching to see whether DAP treats its 1MDB‑related history as a conviction or merely a campaign line.
Related: Pardons Board · Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim · Kuala Lumpur