| Description | Secularist-liberal, pro-free enterprise Chinese minority-interests organization split from the People's Action of Singapore after Singapore officially left Malaysia on August 9, 1965 to become an independent Republic. Party had declared itself Socialist and held some power in mainland Malaysia until 1969. Party campaigned on abolishing Bumiputra (Malaysian Muslim) privileges which it saw as severely violating the civil rights of Chinese Malays, especially Mohammed Mahathir's New Economic Policy. Its protests were cut short by Mahathir in 1987, when several DAP leaders were jailed without trial during Operation Lalang. Party joined the Pakatan Harapan alliance in 2015. Party has been chaired by former MP and special envoy to China, Tan Kok Wai, since March 29, 2014 [Parti Tindakan Demokratik (PTA)]. |
