KUALA LUMPUR – Selangor DAP has thrown its support behind Anthony Loke Siew Fook to remain in leadership positions at both the state and national levels following Pakatan Harapan’s (PH) defeat in the 16th Negeri Sembilan State Election.
In a statement posted on the Selangor DAP Facebook page today, its chairman Ng Sze Han said the party respected the decision of Negeri Sembilan voters and accepted the outcome with humility.
“DAP Selangor respects the decision made by the people of Negeri Sembilan in the State Election. DAP failed to retain the Chennah and Repah seats, and Pakatan Harapan also lost its mandate to govern Negeri Sembilan,” he said.
Ng said Selangor DAP would continue standing with Negeri Sembilan DAP and work alongside the party’s central leadership to evaluate the election results and identify areas for improvement.
He described Loke’s decision to defend the Chennah seat personally as a reflection of his leadership qualities, despite the constituency being a closely fought battle.
“The contest in Chennah was highly competitive. DAP Secretary-General Anthony Loke Siew Fook demonstrated the calibre of a leader who took personal responsibility for defending the Chennah state seat,” he said.
Ng added that the political challenges arising from the election must be addressed with maturity and careful consideration to ensure the party could rebuild public confidence.
“The political challenges arising from the state election must be managed carefully, with maturity and foresight,” he added.
He said Selangor DAP believed Loke should continue leading the party to provide stability and maintain continuity ahead of the next general election.
“Therefore, DAP Selangor supports Anthony Loke remaining as the party’s leader at both the Negeri Sembilan and national levels so that the party’s continuity can be preserved and efforts to restore public confidence in the Pakatan Harapan government can be achieved ahead of the next General Election,” he explained.
The statement came after Loke indicated that he was considering stepping down as Negeri Sembilan DAP chairman following his defeat in Chennah, a seat regarded as one of the party’s traditional strongholds in the state.
Earlier, Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow had urged Loke to reconsider any decision to resign, saying the DAP secretary-general remained crucial to the party’s leadership.
Speaking after officiating the George Town Festival 2026 at Padang Kota Lama in Penang, Chow said Loke should take time before deciding on his future in the state party leadership.
“He should cool down for a day or two before making a decision,” Chow said, as quoted by Buletin Mutiara.
“The party still needs him,” he added.
Chow described the Chennah contest as among the most challenging battles in the state election, particularly following the new political cooperation between Barisan Nasional (BN) and Perikatan Nasional (PN).
“From the beginning of the campaign, we acknowledged that it would be a difficult contest because of the constituency’s racial composition and the new political configuration. The campaign also became heavily centred on racial and religious issues. Despite those circumstances, it was a very close fight,” he said.
Unofficial results showed BN winning 18 state seats while PN secured seven, allowing the alliance to secure a two-thirds majority in the Negeri Sembilan Legislative Assembly and ending PH’s administration in the state.
Loke, who had represented Chennah for three consecutive terms since 2013, lost the seat to BN newcomer Siow Kong Choon (John) in a closely fought contest.
Unofficial results showed Loke receiving 5,060 votes compared with Siow’s 5,593 votes, resulting in a majority of 533 votes.
Following the defeat, Loke said he would consider relinquishing his position as Negeri Sembilan DAP chairman and reassess his role within the party.
Meanwhile, Negeri Sembilan DAP has also expressed support for Loke, urging him to remain as state party chairman despite the setback.
In a statement posted on Facebook, Negeri Sembilan DAP secretary Cha Kee Chin said the state committee had unanimously agreed to appeal for Loke to continue leading the chapter.
“The Negeri Sembilan DAP committee stands in solidarity and continues to support Loke Siew Fook as the Negeri Sembilan DAP chairman. We unanimously appeal for him to continue leading Negeri Sembilan DAP,” he said.
Cha said Loke’s leadership had played a key role in strengthening DAP’s position in Negeri Sembilan, describing the period under his leadership as the most successful in the history of the state chapter.
“Starting with just two seats in 2004, Loke’s credible leadership has elevated Negeri Sembilan DAP to a position respected by both friends and opponents,” he said.
He acknowledged that the defeats in Chennah and Repah were disappointing but said Loke should not be blamed for the outcome.
“The defeats in Chennah and Repah have certainly disappointed us, but they are not Loke’s fault, and he should not be held responsible for these defeats,” he said.
Cha added that DAP would need Loke’s leadership to navigate future political challenges after PH lost its grip on the state government, including preparations for the 16th General Election.
He said the party’s preliminary assessment showed PH and DAP candidates continued receiving support from their traditional voter base despite facing campaigns focused on racial issues.
“Preliminary analysis of the state election results shows that Pakatan Harapan and DAP candidates still received strong support from our loyal supporters, despite facing opponents who played racial issues,” he said.
Cha said he had consulted all members of the Negeri Sembilan DAP committee, who unanimously agreed to call on Loke to remain as state party chairman. – August 2, 2026