He said DAP must not remain fixated on old political approaches, calling for the party to instead be willing to make changes according to current political situations.

“As Bruce Lee once said, ‘Be water, my friend. Empty your mind. Be formless, shapeless, like water’,” he said at the DAP special congress here.

Loke assured DAP’s members and grassroots that no matter the approach the party takes, he would ensure it remains true to its principles of democracy, justice, freedom, integrity and good governance.

He said he was also aware of the negative sentiments within DAP after Pakatan Harapan (PH) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on political cooperation with Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob last year.

“I am aware that after the MoU was signed, many of our members and supporters were worried and confused,” he said.

“Some even accused us of selling out on our principles but the success of the amendment to the Federal Constitution (to outlaw party hopping) proves that such allegations are completely untrue and baseless.”

Loke added that DAP would have been a “bystander” in Malaysian politics had it not agreed to sign the MoU with the government.

The DAP special congress today will see the party tabling a motion to amend its constitution to allow it to remove members, especially elected representatives, who do not toe the party line on fundamental issues.

In August, Loke said this was to safeguard the party from a “loophole” in the anti-hopping law, where MPs sacked by the party do not have to vacate their seats.