KUALA LUMPUR — DAP will not leave Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition before the current government’s term ends despite recent electoral setbacks, secretary-general Anthony Loke has said.

In an interview with Singapore-based media organisation CNA, Loke rejected suggestions that DAP should go it alone after disappointing performances in recent state elections, saying governing through a coalition was the only realistic way to shape the country’s future.

“In the context of Malaysian politics, I do not think the DAP can go far if we just go solo,” Loke said.

The remarks come after weeks of scrutiny over DAP’s future within PH following losses in the Sabah and Johor state elections, prompting some observers to question whether the party should reconsider its place in the ruling coalition.

Loke said Malaysia’s demographic makeup and political system meant contesting alone would leave DAP confined to the Opposition benches rather than participating in government.

“You cannot be part of the process of nation-building. You cannot be in the process of governance,” he said.

“If we really want to effect change in a government, in society, you have to be in a position of power ... I am a believer in coalition politics.”

He added that withdrawing from PH would only play into the hands of political opponents who wanted to push DAP out of government.

For Loke, the trade-off is clear: slower reforms from within government are preferable to pursuing a purer agenda from the Opposition.