KUALA LUMPUR – Anthony Loke has resigned as Transport Minister with immediate effect following the High Court's decision today to allow former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak to serve the remainder of his prison sentence under house arrest.
In a statement, Loke said his resignation was in line with the position he had announced last Friday, following developments surrounding Najib's application to serve his sentence at home.
"This is in line with the position I announced last Friday, namely my resignation as Transport Minister.
"This decision is based on the principles and position I have explained previously," he said.
Loke also expressed his appreciation to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim for the trust and mandate given to him to serve in the Cabinet since December 2022.
He thanked the senior management and staff of the Transport Ministry for their commitment and cooperation throughout his tenure, adding that he would ensure a smooth handover of responsibilities.
He also pledged to facilitate the transition so that the ministry's duties and ongoing initiatives could continue without disruption in the interests of the public.
Earlier today, High Court judge Datuk Aslam Zainuddin ordered Najib to serve the remainder of his reduced prison sentence under house arrest at No. 11, Jalan Langgak Duta, until Aug 23, 2028, in accordance with the conditional royal pardon granted on Sept 18.
After hearing submissions from both sides, Aslam set aside an earlier order dated Nov 6, which provided for Najib's discharge upon payment of his fine, and replaced it in its entirety with today's ruling.
The latest decision followed an urgent application by the Attorney-General's Chambers (AGC) to rectify the earlier order, which was issued after Umno settled Najib's RM50 million fine in the SRC International case.
The legal dispute centred on whether the payment covered only the financial penalty, leaving Najib to serve the remainder of his prison sentence under house arrest, or whether it effectively discharged the entire sentence in the SRC International case.
The distinction was significant as a full discharge of the SRC sentence would have triggered the prison term imposed on Najib in his separate 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) case, which the court had ordered to run consecutively.
Najib's application to stay the execution of his sentence in the 1MDB case was previously dismissed by the High Court on Oct 14.
The former prime minister arrived at the Kuala Lumpur Court Complex at 3.16pm for today's proceedings, accompanied by prison wardens.
He sat in the front row of the packed public gallery alongside his daughter, Nooryana Najwa, and greeted several supporters and allies before the hearing began.
The proceedings were closely watched as the court's decision was expected to determine whether Najib could leave prison and serve the remainder of his sentence at home under the conditional royal pardon granted by His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia.
Najib was represented by lead counsel Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah.
The prosecution was led by State Prosecution Director Datuk Mohd Nordin Ismail, alongside Senior Federal Counsel Ahmad Hanir Hambaly @ Arwi and Deputy Public Prosecutors Datuk Ahmad Akram Gharib, Mohamad Mustaffa P Kunyalam, Mohamad Fadhly Mohd Zamry and Siti Pervinah Mohamad Yusof. - November 10, 2026
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