Dismissing claims that the congress would be a mere public relations exercise, the DAP central executive committee (CEC) member said it will allow delegates to take into account the views shared by party members and supporters at the grassroots level.

He said this would ensure the DAP leadership gets to hear the voice of both the supporters and members as it decides on its position in Putrajaya.

“Non-members can share their views through DAP members since the party is having its internal referendum on a crucial issue,” he told reporters when met at the Chinese New Year open house organised by his Padang Kota service centre.

Asked whether DAP members of the Penang executive council would resign despite being the ruling party, the chief minister said this was up to the congress.

“I have received instructions from the party on this matter. Whatever decision made by the party would have to be adhered to by party members,” Chow said.

The special congress will see 4,000 delegates deciding whether DAP leaders should resign from their positions in the unity government while continuing to support it in Parliament.

DAP secretary-general Loke Siew Fook said this would be the party’s first time entrusting such a major political decision to delegates at a congress, rather than having the CEC decide on the matter.

This was met with scepticism by former Penang DAP deputy chief P Ramasamy, who dismissed it as a “public relations exercise” that would not pressure Putrajaya into implementing reforms.

Chow maintained that the congress was purely to gauge whether DAP members still wanted the party to hold positions in the unity government after the six-month timeframe to implement reforms.