PAS Man Wants To Know Why Anthony Loke Is Still Working
PAS Information Chief Ahmad Fadli Shaari questions Loke’s continued ministerial engagements after announcing his resignation.
- PAS's Ahmad Fadli questions why Anthony Loke continued full ministerial duties, including China visits and MoU signings, after announcing his resignation.
- Fadli argues that whilst Loke remains legally a minister, major new commitments should be left to his successor out of good governance.
- Fadli sarcastically notes that Loke's "resignation" appears merely an announcement, with his ministerial schedule carrying on completely as normal.
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Transport Minister Anthony Loke should step aside after announcing his intention to resign from the Cabinet, rather than continuing to carry out major ministerial engagements, said PAS Information Chief Ahmad Fadli Shaari.
He said while Loke remained legally a minister until his resignation took effect, his conduct after announcing his decision to quit should reflect the principle behind his resignation.
“From a legal perspective, as long as his resignation has not taken effect, he is still a minister. But from a governance perspective, this situation does raise questions,” Ahmad Fadli wrote on his Facebook.
Loke announced on Sept 19 that he would resign as Transport Minister following DAP’s decision to take a stand against the conditional pardon granted to former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.
However, Malay Mail reported that as of Sept 21, Loke had yet to formally submit his resignation to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and proceeded with an official visit to China, including attending the 12th APEC Transport Ministers’ Meeting in Beijing and overseeing the signing of two MoUs.
Major Commitments Should Be Handled With Caution
Fadli said once a minister had announced his intention to step down on a matter of principle, his subsequent actions should also demonstrate that he was preparing to leave office.
He said routine matters and urgent issues could continue to be handled, but new decisions or commitments with implications extending beyond the minister’s tenure should be approached more cautiously.
“If it is not urgent, what is wrong with leaving it to the successor?” he said.
Fadli acknowledged that Loke was not legally a “caretaker minister”, but said the principle of restraint should nevertheless apply from a governance perspective.
“The spirit should be almost the same, namely being more careful in exercising power after announcing an intention to resign. The bigger the decision or commitment, the greater the level of caution that should be exercised,” he said.
‘When Does The Resignation Actually Begin?’
Fadli questioned the sequence of events, saying Loke’s announcement of his intention to resign appeared inconsistent with his continued ministerial schedule.
“What looks strange now is that the announcement to quit has already been made, but his schedule as a minister continues as usual.
“Meetings continue, bilateral meetings continue, and MoUs are signed. Then, after everything is completed, the resignation process is to be dealt with. So when does the process of ‘resigning’ actually begin?”
READ MORE: Anthony Loke Quits Cabinet, Four Other DAP Leaders Stay On
‘If You Want To Quit, Just Quit’
Fadli said if Loke genuinely intended to resign on principle, the transition should be handled in an orderly manner, particularly when dealing with major decisions.
“If he really wants to step down on principle, then do it properly. Leave major matters to the successor and ensure the transition runs smoothly.
“Don’t let the political announcement already reach the exit door while the ministerial authority is still busy going here and there. Otherwise, it is difficult for the public to distinguish between a resignation and merely an announcement of resignation,” he said.
Fadli also sarcastically questioned whether the meaning of “resign” in politics had become flexible.
“Perhaps after this we need to understand that the word ‘resign’ in politics has a rather flexible meaning. Announce that you want to quit first, continue official visits, attend meetings, sign MoUs, complete the schedule, then come back and deal with the resignation.
“Diligent, certainly diligent. But if you are already about to leave the house, it is also strange to add new furniture before handing over the keys.”
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