KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia’s Democratic Action Party (DAP) will not leave Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition before the end of the current government’s term, said its secretary-general Anthony Loke. He reiterated the vow in an interview with CNA in the wake of the party’s disappointing showing in the Jul 11 Johor state election, and ahead of the Aug 1 Negeri Sembilan state polls as well as a crucial special party congress on Aug 16.“In the context of Malaysian politics, I do not think the DAP can go far if we just go solo,” Loke said, referring to the country’s demographics and system of governance. Malays and bumiputeras make up about 70 per cent of its 31 million citizens, while Chinese make up about 22 per cent and Indians, about 6.5 per cent.While it is “easy” to go solo, said Loke, “you can only play the role of opposition”. “You cannot be part of the process of nation-building. You cannot be in the process of governance,” he added in the interview on Monday (Jul 13).“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.”Withdrawing from the PH pact would mean falling into the trap set by political opponents who “do not want the DAP in government”, said Loke, 49, who is also transport minister.With 40 parliamentary seats in Malaysia’s 222-member lower house, DAP supplies the most seats to PH, which also comprises Anwar’s Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) and Parti Amanah Negara (Amanah). Malaysia’s unity federal government also comprises the Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition, Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS), Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) and other smaller parties as well as independents. At the state level, however, PH and BN are rivals in some states like Johor, where politicians from both coalitions have engaged in pointed exchanges.For Negeri Sembilan, PH has announced plans to contest all 36 state seats. BN has said it will contest 25 seats, with the remaining 11 expected to be allocated to other parties. It is rumoured to be forming an alliance with opposition coalition Perikatan Nasional's components, namely Parti Islam Se-Malaysia (PAS) and the newly formed Parti Wawasan Negara, led by opposition leader Hamzah Zainudin.