Transport Minister and DAP Secretary-General Anthony Loke has announced that he will step down as Negeri Sembilan DAP chairman following his failure to retain the Chennah state seat in the Negeri Sembilan state election (PRN) last Saturday.
Loke said the decision was made out of personal responsibility and because he believed it was time to hand over the state leadership after serving as Negeri Sembilan DAP chairman for 22 years.
“This is my personal decision. After leading Negeri Sembilan DAP for 22 years, I feel it is time to pass the position to someone else,” he said during a press conference after the party’s Central Executive Committee (CEC) meeting at DAP headquarters on Monday night.
He said he decided to resign because the party failed to defend both the Chennah and Repah state seats in the recent election.
“Although many have expressed their support and we managed to win nine out of the 11 seats we contested, I believe this is the right time for a new state chairman to take over,” he said.
In the 16th Negeri Sembilan state election, DAP retained nine of the 11 state seats it contested.
However, Loke lost the Chennah seat to MCA candidate Siow Kong Choon by a majority of 688 votes, while DAP also lost Repah, where S. Veerapan was defeated by BN candidate Koh Kim Swee by 444 votes.
Loke said his resignation will take effect after the Negeri Sembilan DAP committee convenes a meeting in the coming days.
He said the meeting will allow committee members to elect a new state chairman in accordance with the party’s constitution.
The selection will not involve a vote by the wider party membership, as the chairman will be chosen from among the existing Negeri Sembilan DAP committee members.
Reflecting on his tenure, Loke said he was proud of the party’s progress since taking over the leadership in 2004.
“When I first became chairman, DAP had only two seats in Negeri Sembilan. Today, after 22 years, we have two Members of Parliament and have retained nine state seats. Negeri Sembilan DAP is much stronger now, and I believe this is the best time to hand over the leadership,” he said.
Loke stressed that his decision was made voluntarily and was not the result of pressure from within the party.
He revealed that several senior party leaders, including DAP adviser Lim Guan Eng, had encouraged him to remain as state chairman.
“There was no pressure from anyone. This is my personal decision because I believe the time has come to pass the responsibility to other leaders.
“We practise collective responsibility. After carrying this responsibility for 22 years, it is time for someone else to take over,” he said.
Loke also made it clear that he would not nominate or influence the selection of his successor.
“I have no preferred candidate. I will not decide who replaces me. The decision will be made entirely by the Negeri Sembilan DAP committee.
“The strength of Negeri Sembilan DAP does not depend on one individual. We have many experienced leaders, including state assemblymen who have served four terms, Members of Parliament and former state executive councillors,” he added.
