Gulam calls Loke’s resignation offer a DAP political strategy

KUALA LUMPUR: Batu Umno division chief Datuk Gulam Muszaffar Gulam Mustakim has described DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke Siew Fook’s offer to resign as transport minister as part of the party’s political strategy following the decision allowing former prime minister Najib Razak to serve the remainder of his sentence under house arrest.

Loke announced after a three-hour DAP Central Executive Committee (CEC) meeting on Saturday that he would submit his resignation to Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, while other DAP ministers and deputy ministers would remain in the unity government.

In a statement, Gulam said Loke’s announcement should be viewed as an “offer” to resign rather than an immediate departure from the Cabinet, as the final decision would rest with Anwar.

Gulam said the prime minister would be placed in a difficult position if he accepted Loke’s resignation, given Loke’s position as DAP secretary-general and the party’s most senior leader.

He also drew a comparison with the 2023 Negeri Sembilan state election, claiming Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and Umno deputy president Mohamad Hasan had similarly offered to accept dismissal if Anwar was dissatisfied with the party’s performance during the campaign.

Gulam claimed Anwar would have limited room to manoeuvre because losing the support of any component party in the unity government could affect the administration’s position.

He further argued that accepting Loke’s resignation could be interpreted as the government losing the support of DAP, although Loke has made clear that other DAP representatives will remain in the Cabinet.

“It would be awkward for DAP’s No. 1 leader to be outside the Cabinet while serving as the party’s secretary-general,” Gulam said.

He said the next step would depend on whether Anwar accepted Loke’s resignation, adding that he expected the prime minister to reject it and instead ask Loke to take leave from his ministerial duties.

Gulam also referred to the current leave taken by a PKR deputy president, although he did not elaborate on the comparison.

Loke’s decision followed DAP’s CEC meeting to determine the party’s response to the Pardons Board decision concerning Najib. Loke said DAP respected the Yang di-Pertuan Agong’s constitutional power of pardon but found the house-arrest decision difficult to accept.

Loke said DAP ministers and deputy ministers would remain in government to preserve political stability and prevent the administration from losing its majority support.

Gulam ended his statement by saying the next move would rest with Anwar over whether to accept Loke’s offer of resignation.