THE hall of the Holiday Inn & Suites Prai thundered with applause as Penang’s Democratic Action Party (DAP) leaders hailed their record of governance. Seventeen years after taking the reins, the socialist-rooted party gathered to celebrate its legacy — and to convince its faithful that Penang’s best days still lie ahead.
Newly minted Penang DAP chairperson Steven Sim Chee Keong led the chorus, praising Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow, his predecessor Lim Guan Eng, and long-time party stalwart Datuk Seri Phee Boon Poh. Speaking in Hokkien, Sim declared that DAP is a “party of action,” one that keeps its promises despite adversity.
The party of promises
The mood turned rousing when DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke Siew Fook — visibly unwell after days of travel from politically charged Sabah — took the stage. He drew thunderous boos from the crowd when he played a video of Permatang Pauh MP Muhammad Fawwaz Mohamad Jan dismissing the need for Penang’s long-awaited light rail transit (LRT) project.
Loke, also the transport minister, soldiered on, unveiling a list of forthcoming infrastructure rollouts: the Mutiara LRT, the Juru–Sungai Dua North-South Expressway expansion, a second Urban Transformation Centre (UTC) in Penang Sentral, and the nearing completion of the Air Itam–Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu bypass. He even dangled another carrot — a RM30 million upgrade to the KTM Butterworth station.
Sim, meanwhile, highlighted social initiatives under his Human Resources Ministry, including a new kidney dialysis centre in Seberang Jaya for SOCSO patients.
All this was meant to signal one message: that DAP delivers. But beneath the celebration, a more sobering reality lingers.
The weight of the present
The government’s accomplishments are real — investment inflows remain strong, tourism is recovering, and factories are still humming despite global headwinds. Yet, the cracks are widening.
Traffic congestion has worsened dramatically, property vacancies dot urban skylines, and the public healthcare system is straining under an ageing population. The US tariffs and lingering post-pandemic aftershocks have made Penang’s export-reliant economy wobble.
The disconnect between rosy government data and street-level realities is growing more visible. While reports boast of billions in investments, locals complain about rising costs, idle shop lots, and clogged roads. The contrast is hard to ignore.
The risk of déjà vu
It is here that Penang finds itself at a crossroads. As Chow Kon Yeow approaches the end of his final term, the question is no longer what DAP has built — but what it has left unaddressed.
Former Chief Minister Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon learned this lesson painfully in 2008. His years of development were quickly forgotten amid shifting sentiments. The same could happen again if current frustrations — congestion, affordability, and quality of life — are not tackled head-on.
DAP’s leaders are right to plan for the future — to invest in infrastructure, climate resilience, and industrial growth. But governing is also about the present: unclogging roads, easing hospital queues, and reviving idle neighbourhoods. These are the things people see, feel, and vote on.
A test of patience
One party veteran summed it up best: “It’s good to talk about promises kept, but it’s equally important to protect welfare, create good jobs, and stay mindful of the environment.”
Penangites are a patient people. They waited through three electoral cycles to see DAP rise nationally. But patience, like traffic on the Penang Bridge, can only stretch so far.
If DAP wishes to cement its legacy beyond mega projects and manifestos, it must look beyond the blueprints — and start fixing the present, not just planning for the future. – November 12, 2025
John Chin is a Scoop reader