Anwar wants further talks with Loke before deciding on resignation

MELAKA – Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim wants to hold further discussions with Anthony Loke before deciding whether to accept the Seremban MP's resignation as Transport Minister.

Anwar said he had yet to make a decision on Loke's resignation letter, which he had received, as he wanted to discuss the matter with him first.

"Yes, Loke did write to me tendering his immediate resignation, but as Prime Minister, I have not accepted it.

"For now, he wants to take a short break, and that is fine. But we need to discuss his resignation again,” he said at the Grand Finale of the Melaka PH Rumah Kita tour in Bukit Baru here today.

Anwar said Loke had a clean and trustworthy track record in government and had worked hard to introduce various initiatives at the Transport Ministry for the benefit of the people.

"We appointed Loke as a minister because he is trustworthy and clean. He works hard and has put forward many proposals, projects and programmes to make travel easier for the public and taxi drivers.

"He is among the hardest-working ministers and is well regarded by ministry officials. That is why I said it is strange that people want a good minister like him to step down, while asking those who perform poorly to stay on. What kind of upside-down world is this?” he said.

On Tuesday, Loke announced his immediate resignation following the Kuala Lumpur High Court's decision allowing former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak to serve the remainder of his prison sentence under house arrest.

The court ordered Najib, 73, to serve the remainder of his sentence in the SRC International Sdn Bhd case under house arrest at his Langgak Duta residence.

Judge Datuk Aslam Zainuddin made the ruling after setting aside an order issued by the Kuala Lumpur High Court Criminal Registry on Nov 6.

Under the new order, Najib will remain under house arrest until Aug 23, 2028, before returning to Kajang Prison on Aug 24, 2028, to serve his sentence in the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) case. –BERNAMA