KUALA LUMPUR — Analyst see the return of former DAP veteran Ronnie Liu to politics but not to the party, as more of a symbolic challenge rather than a direct threat.
Political commentator Datuk Prof Dr Awang Azman Awang Pawi told Scoop Liu’s move goes beyond numbers in the ballot box.
“Ronnie Liu’s return to politics without rejoining DAP is symbolically significant. It challenges DAP’s image and narrative (of reform),” the socio-political analyst at Universiti Malaya’s Academy of Malay Studies said.
Liu may attract voters who are concerned about DAP’s direction, he added, as Liu was not a minor figure. He was once a DAP Central Executive Committee (CEC) member, Sungai Pelek assemblyman, Pandamaran assemblyman, and Selangor state executive councillor. Liu had also been with DAP for four decades before he left in 2023.
DAP, however, should be able to withstand any impact from Liu’s return to politics, as the party’s organisational strength remains intact.
“DAP still possesses a strong organisational structure, national leadership, state machinery and a loyal voter base. Therefore, the impact (from Liu) is more about image, morale and political narrative rather than organisational collapse,” he said.
Liu said on Scoop Insight podcast recently that he will make a return to active politics, but not to his former party. He said his new platform, to be announced soon, will promote “non-racial, new politics.”
He said he was moved to do so with the encouragement from friends and supporters, as well as dissatisfaction with certain policies by the Pakatan Harapan Selangor government.
Senior political analyst Lau Zhe Wei of the International Islamic University Malaysia was more dismissive of Liu’s political relevance outside DAP.
“We can forget about him,” he told Scoop, adding that his support base within Selangor is likely small and limited.
Lau argued that Malaysian politics remains strongly party-centric, making independent or fringe returns highly difficult.
He also pointed to past examples of heavyweight politicians contesting under alternative platforms but failing to perform.
“Warisan (from Sabah) did try to contest a lot of seats in Peninsula Malaysia and it got a lot of former political heavyweights to contest under its label.
“But all these people couldn’t perform well,” Lau added.
This shows that name recognition alone is not enough in Malaysian elections, and political alignment or affiliation is “still super important” especially in Peninsula Malaysia.
Both Awang Azman and Lau agreed that Liu’s planned return to the political arena move carries symbolic weight but limited electoral impact.
His political positioning outside DAP reflects dissatisfaction from a former insider, but whether it becomes a meaningful political force remains highly uncertain, they said. – June 9, 2026