KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 28 — Former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s apology to Malaysians over the 1MDB scandal does not change the fact that crimes were committed, said DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke.

As debate continued over Najib’s apology last week, Loke said its offer or acceptance did not fundamentally change the circumstances of the ex-PM's cases.

"It’s not a question of accepting any apology. With or without the apology, a crime is a crime,” he was quoted as saying by Free Malaysia Today.

"He has been convicted, and the conviction, of course, has been upheld by the (apex) court . He was found guilty. That remains a fact. So to me, the apology does not mean anything.”

Loke then added that Najib was also still on trial over "multiple” criminal charges related to the global corruption scandal.

Last week, Najib offered an open apology to Malaysians over the global corruption scandal, ahead of the decision this week on whether he will be made to answer the charges against him in the main 1MDB trial.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim previously said he accepted Najib’s apology, adding yesterday that this was the civil thing to do when someone says they are sorry for something.

Najib is already serving a prison sentence after he was convicted of all charges in the SRC International case.