Anthony Loke Lost The South, Now They're Asking About The North

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Anthony Loke has not even finished counting his losses.

The unofficial results from Chennah were barely dry when journalists in Penang were already asking Chow Kon Yeow — Penang Chief Minister, DAP central committee member — whether Loke should come north and contest a seat in a different state.

Chow’s answer was careful.

That is not a no, but also not a yes.

In Malaysian politics, it is the sound of a senior party figure leaving a door open while pretending not to touch the handle.

Measured Words For An Unmeasured Loss

Earlier tonight, Loke had announced he was considering resigning as DAP Negeri Sembilan chairman, taking personal responsibility for losing the Chennah seat he had held for three consecutive terms.

Chow’s public response to that was equally measured — he said the party needs Loke to rally morale, and that Loke should take a few days to calm down before deciding anything.

Again: not a defence, but a delay.

Chow did offer a structural explanation for the defeat.

Chennah, he said, was always going to be difficult — the ethnic composition of the constituency, the new political realignment, Barisan Nasional (BN) and Perikatan Nasional (PN) consolidating their votes behind a single candidate.

The election, he added, had drifted toward strong racial and religious lines, making the contest exceptionally hard.

The Party Needs Him, The Party Just Can’t Place Him

All of that is true, all of that is also, quietly, an argument that Loke should not contest the same seat again.

The Negeri Sembilan state election was called after BN withdrew support from the Pakatan Harapan (PH)-led state government, triggering its collapse.

Chow acknowledged this directly — once BN pulled out, the state government either fell or called an election.

PH chose to fight, and tonight, in Chennah, they lost the fight and the man who led it.

Loke is DAP secretary-general who runs the party nationally, and just lost his state seat to a first-time MCA candidate by 688 votes.

And the most senior DAP figure asked about his future tonight said, essentially: give it a few days.

The crowd in Chennah already gave their answer.

READ MORE: MCA “Breaks The Egg” With Two Seats In Negeri Sembilan After 13 Years

READ MORE: Sorry Lah, But Malaysian Indian Voters Are Already Moving On

READ MORE: [Watch] PKR Says It Can’t Afford To Buy Votes, MCA Says Watch The Video

READ MORE: Sanusi Said Go Back To China And India, MCA Said: Have You Seen What DAP Did?

READ MORE: PH Kept Governing As The Votes Left, Now The Votes Have Run Out

READ MORE: “The Malays Only Have This Land”: Sanusi Turns A Negeri Sembilan Rally Into A Civilisational Warning

READ MORE: She Asked About MCA’s Deal With PAS’s Coalition, MCA Told Her To Stay Home

READ MORE: The Night Before Negeri Sembilan Voted, BN Was Already Open To Its Next Deal With PN

READ MORE: Sorry Lah, But Malaysian Indian Voters Are Already Moving On

READ MORE: [Watch] PKR Says It Can’t Afford To Buy Votes, MCA Says Watch The Video

READ MORE: Sanusi Said Go Back To China And India, MCA Said: Have You Seen What DAP Did?

READ MORE: PH Kept Governing As The Votes Left, Now The Votes Have Run Out

READ MORE: “The Malays Only Have This Land”: Sanusi Turns A Negeri Sembilan Rally Into A Civilisational Warning

READ MORE: She Asked About MCA’s Deal With PAS’s Coalition, MCA Told Her To Stay Home

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