KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 29 — Anthony Loke Siew Fook today said that he will stay on as transport minister until former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak begins his house arrest.
He said that he had submitted his resignation letter to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim yesterday, when they had discussed the matter further.
“During the discussion, he asked me to continue carrying out my duties for the time being.
“He will make a decision, but I said that there also needs to be a timeframe. So, the timeframe is that when Najib returns home, my resignation will take effect,” Loke told reporters after officiating Malaysia Maritime Week 2026 at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre.
The DAP secretary-general explained that his resignation is a party decision, conveying the DAP's disagreement with the conditional pardon that allows Najib to serve the remainder of his prison term at home.
Anwar had pointed this out during their meeting yesterday, Loke said, and suggested that the latter should remain in his so long as the house arrest was not yet effected.
While Loke acknowledged he is unsure of the exact date Najib will be released, he stipulated that his departure is tied directly to that event.
“Maybe he will be released tomorrow. Who knows? How would we know? I also do not know when he will be released,” he said.
Loke also reiterated that the DAP will remain part of the federal unity government, with its other ministers continuing to serve in the Cabinet.
Earlier this month, His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, the King of Malaysia, consented to granting a conditional pardon to Najib, allowing him to serve the remainder of his jail term under house arrest until August 23, 2028.
This pardon is subject to Najib settling a RM50 million fine.
Najib has been serving a 12-year jail term at Kajang Prison following his conviction in the SRC International case in August 2022.
Previously in 2024, the Pardons Board had already halved his sentence to six years and reduced his fine from RM210 million to RM50 million.
