KUALA LUMPUR: DAP Deputy National Publicity Secretary Hannah Yeoh has expressed regret over Anthony Loke’s decision to resign as Transport Minister with immediate effect today.
Hannah, who is also minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Federal Territories), said she should have been the one to step down, but Loke wanted to ensure that the party fulfilled its promises to the people and completed outstanding work.
“I should have been the one to resign today, but my secretary-general wanted us to fulfil all our promises to the people and complete the work that remains unfinished.
“In the end, he was the one who paid the price,” she said in a Facebook post today.
Earlier, Loke, who is also DAP secretary-general, announced that his resignation as Transport minister would take effect immediately.
In a statement, Loke said the decision followed the Kuala Lumpur High Court’s ruling today allowing Datuk Seri Najib Razak to serve the remainder of his prison sentence under house arrest.
Media reports had previously said Loke had submitted his resignation letter as Transport minister to the prime minister on Sept 28.
Loke had announced his intention to resign following a DAP Central Executive Committee (CEC) meeting on Sept 19, amid the controversy surrounding the conditional pardon granted to Najib, the former prime minister.
However, Loke said other DAP ministers and deputy ministers would remain in the Unity Government.
Earlier, media reports said Najib would be transferred from Kajang Prison to his residence in Taman Duta today, with immediate effect, to serve the remainder of his sentence under house arrest in connection with the misappropriation of SRC International Sdn Bhd funds.
High Court judge Datuk Aslam Zainuddin had set aside the order of discharge upon payment of a fine dated Nov 6.