GEORGE TOWN, Sept 21 — DAP Air Putih assemblyman Lim Guan Eng said today that Transport Minister Anthony Loke’s impending departure from the federal Cabinet represents a major loss for Penang, crediting him with securing federal approval for more than RM21 billion in critical transport infrastructure for the state.
In a press statement, the former Penang chief minister detailed the federal investments championed by Loke during his ministerial tenure.
These include the RM16.8 billion Penang Light Rail Transit (LRT) project, the RM1.55 billion expansion of the Penang International Airport (PIA), and RM30 million in upgrades for Keretapi Tanah Melayu (KTM) stations, alongside RM2.2 billion for Penang Port and RM500 million for the Swettenham Pier Cruise Terminal.
“With RM 21 billion of approved transportation projects in Penang, Loke is possibly the most effective transport minister who has done the most for Penang compared to the series of MCA transport ministers before him,” Lim said.
Lim said that Penang’s 1.8 million residents deeply appreciate Loke’s willingness to sacrifice his executive post on principle and will remain grateful for his transformative contributions to the state’s transport network.
Lim explained that Loke offered his resignation to reaffirm DAP’s stand on the RM52 billion 1MDB scandal, whether serving in government or in opposition.
He said the party remains steadfast in demanding that those responsible for the financial scandal face justice, describing Loke’s move as an expression of DAP’s “polite disagreement” with the conditional royal pardon granted to former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.
Loke, who serves as DAP secretary-general and Seremban MP, announced on Saturday that he had offered to step down from the transport portfolio.
The decision followed a nearly three-hour emergency DAP central executive committee (CEC) meeting at the party’s national headquarters in Pudu.Loke clarified that he would retain his party leadership and parliamentary seat, and confirmed that all other DAP ministers and deputy ministers would remain in Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s unity administration.
Speaking on Sunday, Anwar said he had not yet received a formal resignation letter and intended to meet with Loke to hear his views before making any final decision.
The Federal Territories Pardons Board announced on Friday that His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia, consented to grant Najib a conditional pardon. Under the decree,
Najib will serve the remainder of his SRC International custodial sentence under house arrest until August 23, 2028, subject to settling a RM50 million fine alongside other statutory conditions.
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