The Democratic Action Party or DAP held its 18th Congress, electing a new 30-member central committee to lead the party until 2028. Gobind Singh Deo topped the polls, followed by Chong Chieng Jen and Teo Nie Ching. Despite speculation of an anti-Lim dynasty campaign, Lim Guan Eng retained a seat but ranked 26th, while his sister Lim Hui Ying lost her position. We speak to Oh Ei Sun of the Pacific Research Centre on the balance of veteran vs. young leaders, regional representation, and whether Loke now fully controls the party.

Other stories we covered:

• Curbing ramadan food waste in PJ: Petaling Jaya’s "Bazaar Ramadan Bahagia dan Lestari" initiative aims to reduce food waste, with Malaysia discarding 75,000 tonnes during Ramadan, 15-20% more than other months. We speak to Khor Sue Yee of Zero Waste Malaysia on scaling this effort nationwide, making waste separation more convenient, and tackling broader waste challenges.
• Challenges for undocumented migrants leaving malaysia: The Home Ministry is extending its Migrant Repatriation Programme, which lets undocumented migrants return home by paying a fine instead of facing prosecution. Adrian Pereira of North South Initiative weighs in on its impact and whether it addresses issues like exploitation and unethical recruitment.
• Sekolah pondok’s role in fighting extremism: The government sees "sekolah pondok", or Islamic boarding schools, as potential allies in combating religious extremism. We spoke to Aziff Azuddin of IMAN Research about why some students may be vulnerable to extremism and how collaboration with the Home Ministry could help. We also heard from Azmil Tayeb of USM, who questioned whether this approach would be effective.
• US airstrikes kill 53 in Yemen: US airstrikes on Yemen have reportedly killed 53 people, citing Houthi attacks on Israel-linked vessels in the Red Sea. The Houthis, a Yemen-based movement aligned with Iran, say their actions support Palestine. Trump blames Iran, but Tehran counters that the Houthis act independently. We speak to James Dorsey, Senior Fellow at RSIS, on the geopolitical and humanitarian fallout.

Image Credit: Democratic Action Party Official Facebook