DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke has reiterated that he will resign as Transport Minister, saying his decision has already been made.
The Seremban MP said he would submit his resignation letter to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim after returning to Malaysia from China.
“The decision has been made. I will submit the resignation letter to the Prime Minister when I return home,” he told reporters after arriving in Hangzhou on Wednesday.
Loke is currently accompanying Anwar on a three-day working visit to Shanghai and Hangzhou at the invitation of the Chinese government.
His decision to step down follows a DAP Central Executive Committee (CEC) meeting on September 19, after the conditional pardon granted to former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak. Loke had earlier said the other DAP ministers and deputy ministers would remain in the Unity Government.
Meanwhile, Anwar said he would not rush into deciding on Loke’s resignation, saying he wanted to hear the Transport Minister’s explanation first.
“I am giving him space. I don’t want to rush because I respect his decision,” Anwar said.
Anwar also said DAP should not give in to pressure from parties seeking to see the Unity Government become unstable.
The Prime Minister had earlier urged Loke to reconsider his decision, saying Loke was not responsible for the decision on Najib’s conditional pardon and had tried to oppose it.
Loke’s resignation offer came after the Pardons Board’s decision granting Najib a conditional pardon, allowing him to serve the remainder of his sentence under house arrest until August 23, 2028, subject to a RM50 million fine and other conditions.
Despite his decision to resign, Loke has continued carrying out his official duties during the China visit. The Transport Ministry previously said its operations and responsibilities would continue as usual while the resignation process was being handled.
Loke is expected to return to Malaysia after completing his official engagements in China, where he will then proceed with the resignation process.
