Malaysian Transport Minister Anthony Loke stepped down effective immediately on Nov 10, according to The Straits Times, following a judicial decision permitting former prime minister Najib Razak to complete the remainder of his prison term at his residence.
Court Order Clears Path for Home Detention
High Court judge Aslam Zainuddin overturned a Nov 6 discharge order, substituting it with a conditional ruling that mandates Najib to serve the rest of his SRC International prison sentence under house arrest. The new order took immediate effect, clearing the path for the 73-year-old former prime minister to move from Kajang Prison to his residence at Jalan Langgak Duta in Kuala Lumpur, which had been gazetted as a prison.
Najib’s lawyer Farhan Shafee said the new order is a simplified version of the earlier ruling so that people can understand it. Farhan told The Straits Times that Najib was expected to arrive home by 7:30 pm for dinner.
The legal counsel explained that the directive contains no provisions for Najib to go back to Kajang Prison to fulfill his separate term concerning the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) corruption case, given that the conviction is still undergoing the appeal process.
Earlier in the day, the Attorney-General’s Chambers submitted a filing to amend the Nov 6 order. They sought a fresh ruling consistent with the conditional royal pardon granted on Sept 18. UMNO’s settlement of the RM50 million fine mandated by the pardon had previously led to expectations that Najib would be transferred on Nov 6.
Political Fallout Inside the Unity Government
Loke’s exit marks the initial major political repercussions arising from the controversy, bringing to light underlying strains within the unity administration headed by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. Najib’s party UMNO backed his return home, while the Democratic Action Party, led by Loke, opposed granting house arrest to the former prime minister.
“This decision is based on the principles and position I have previously explained,” Loke said in a press statement on Nov 10. He had argued that granting house arrest to Najib would send the wrong message to future generations. He pointed to the scale of the corruption scandal and its impact on Malaysia’s economy and international reputation.
MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong said Anthony Loke’s decision to resign was a personal one, noting that nobody had pressured the DAP secretary-general to step down, The Star reported. Speaking in Melaka, Dr Wee stated that Loke made his own assessment of the political situation and decided resignation was the appropriate course of action.
DAP Deputy National Publicity Secretary Hannah Yeoh expressed regret over the resignation, stating that she should have been the one to step down instead, according to NST Online. Yeoh explained that Loke wanted the party to fulfill its promises and complete outstanding work before he paid the price.
UMNO Members Lodge Reports as Sultan Ibrahim Expresses Displeasure
The suspension of Najib’s initial transfer on Nov 6 prompted UMNO members to lodge police reports in several parts of the country. The party’s youth wing called for a nationwide investigation into whether any laws had been breached. Sultan Ibrahim subsequently intervened due to the postponement, voicing dissatisfaction regarding how the situation was managed and emphasizing the necessity of upholding the King’s constitutional authority over pardons.
Following these events, Attorney-General Mohd Dusuki Mokhtar requested an audience with the Monarch to offer an apology and clarify the legal issues surrounding the discharge order. Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail pointed out that the original court directive’s phrasing caused ambiguity, since a discharge would strip the Prison Department of jurisdiction over Najib, whereas house arrest mandated that he stay under its oversight.
“His status remains that of someone serving the remainder of his sentence. We are merely transferring him from Kajang to a location that has been gazetted,” Saifuddin said on Nov 9, as reported by Malaysiakini.
Najib governed Malaysia from 2009 to 2018 and has been imprisoned since August 2022 following his conviction for misappropriating RM42 million from SRC International, a former subsidiary of 1MDB. The royal pardon did not erase his conviction. Under the new high court order, he must remain under house arrest until Aug 23, 2028.
