Loke made the announcement after a three-hour meeting of DAP’s Central Executive Committee (CEC) today, saying he would be the only DAP Cabinet member stepping down at this stage.
KUALA LUMPUR: DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke has announced that he will resign as Transport Minister following the Pardons Board’s decision allowing former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak to serve the remainder of his sentence under house arrest.
Loke made the announcement after a three-hour meeting of DAP’s Central Executive Committee (CEC) today, saying he would be the only DAP Cabinet member stepping down at this stage.
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He said the resignation was considered the best course of action following the decision on Najib’s conditional pardon.
“After three hours, we decided that the best move was for me to resign as the Transport Minister,” he said.
Loke said the other DAP ministers would remain in the unity government, adding that the party was mindful of the possibility that its withdrawal could contribute to political instability and potentially trigger a general election.
He said the CEC had not instructed other party leaders to resign and that any such decision would be left to individual ministers.
“I will hand over my resignation to the prime minister soon,” he said.
The announcement follows the Pardons Board’s decision to allow Najib to serve the remainder of his sentence under house arrest until Aug 23, 2028, subject to payment of a RM50 million fine.
Loke said the 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) scandal had affected Malaysia for about a decade and maintained that those responsible should be held accountable.
“Justice must be done, and those responsible must be punished for the loss of millions. Najib must be given the due penalty,” he said.
At the same time, Loke said DAP respected the King’s constitutional authority to grant a pardon.
“We respect the pardon granted by the King, and it is his right to grant house arrest,” he said.
Loke acknowledged that there was currently no specific precedent or legislation governing house arrest in Malaysia, but said DAP respected the decision that had been made.
He said the development remained difficult for DAP and many Malaysians to accept, given the party’s long-standing position on the 1MDB case and accountability.
The DAP CEC meeting was convened following the Pardons Board’s decision announced on Friday. Loke had earlier said the party would determine its position and next course of action after the decision.
Under the conditional pardon, Najib is permitted to serve the remainder of his six-year sentence under house arrest until August 2028, subject to the payment of the RM50 million fine.
