Anthony Loke, DAP secretary-general and Malaysia's transport minister, has offered to resign from the cabinet after the Pardons Board approved former prime minister Najib Razak's transfer to house arrest. Najib was convicted four years ago in the 1MDB corruption scandal but denies wrongdoing. Loke said other DAP ministers will remain to help preserve political stability, even as the decision deepens divisions within Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim's multi-party coalition.
DAP's Anthony Loke Offers To Resign After Pardons Board Grants Najib House Arrest
Police patrol cars are parked outside Malaysia’s former Prime Minister Najib Razak’s house after Malaysia’s King agreed to allow the jailed former premier to serve the remainder of his sentence under house arrest, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, September 18, 2026. REUTERS/Hasnoor Hussain
Anthony Loke, secretary-general of Malaysia's Democratic Action Party (DAP) and the country's transport minister, said on Saturday he has offered to resign from the cabinet in protest after the Pardons Board approved former prime minister Najib Razak's move to serve the remainder of his sentence under house arrest.
"I have proposed to submit my resignation as Minister of Transport to the Prime Minister. However, this resignation only involves me as a member of the cabinet," Loke said. He made the remark while stressing that other DAP cabinet ministers would stay on to help preserve political stability.
The Pardons Board, chaired by Malaysia's King, agreed to the house-arrest arrangement four years after Najib was convicted in a high-profile, multi-billion-dollar case tied to the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) fund. Najib, who led the country from 2009 to 2018, was found guilty of corruption related to the embezzlement of billions linked to 1MDB; he has consistently denied wrongdoing.
A supporter wears a shirt with an image depicting former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak as Malaysia's King agreed to allow the jailed former prime minister to serve the remainder of his sentence under house arrest, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, September 18, 2026. REUTERS/Hasnoor Hussain
Political Fallout
Loke's offer to resign signals growing unease within the ruling coalition. The DAP — the largest party in Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim's multi-party government — has faced declining support among some voters amid criticism of how the administration has handled corruption cases, racial and religious tensions, and the pace of promised reforms.
The coalition includes parties from across Malaysia's political spectrum, notably Anwar's allies and members of Najib's United Malays National Organisation (UMNO). The Pardons Board decision has amplified existing rifts, with opposition and public critics arguing the move undermines efforts to hold powerful figures to account.
Members of the media outside former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak's house as Malaysia's King agreed to allow the jailed former prime minister to serve the remainder of his sentence under house arrest, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, September 18, 2026. REUTERS/Hasnoor Hussain
Despite Loke's protest, he and other DAP leaders emphasized the need to maintain governmental stability while debating next steps internally and with the prime minister.
Reporting by Ashley Tang in Kuala Lumpur and Jun Yuan Yong in Singapore; Editing by Ros Russell.
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