Loke Skips Sarawak Event, Resignation Status Remains Uncertain
KOTA SAMARAHAN: The status of Anthony Loke Siew Fook’s resignation as Transport Minister remains uncertain after he failed to attend a ministry event in Kota Samarahan, Sarawak, on Saturday.
The DAP Secretary-General’s absence meant that members of the media attending the event were unable to obtain further confirmation regarding the status of his resignation as Transport Minister.
The latest development followed a statement issued by Istana Negara on Saturday, stressing that the decree of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Sultan Ibrahim, concerning the conditional pardon granted to former Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak was clear, explicit and unambiguous.
Istana Negara also emphasised that all conditions stipulated in the royal pardon decree had been fulfilled, while any attempt to challenge the decision could be regarded as defiance of His Majesty’s decree.
On Friday, the Attorney General’s Chambers (AGC) announced in a statement that the implementation of Najib’s house arrest had been temporarily deferred pending further clarification on the interpretation of the Conditional Pardon Order and the implications of the High Court’s Release Order following the payment of the RM50 million fine.
Meanwhile, Loke reiterated on Friday that his resignation as Transport Minister would take effect immediately once Najib arrived at his residence to serve the remainder of his prison sentence under house arrest.
He had previously disclosed that he submitted his resignation letter to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim on September 28, following DAP’s stance on the issue of Najib’s conditional pardon.
Astro AWANI