KOTA TINGGI, Sept 20 — Anthony Loke’s offer to resign as Transport Minister following former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s conditional pardon is entirely his own matter, Umno vice-president Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin said today.

Loke offered to resign yesterday after DAP’s central executive committee meeting, saying the move was the party’s response to the decision allowing Najib to serve the remainder of his sentence under house arrest, while other DAP ministers would remain in the unity government to maintain political stability.

“From Umno’s perspective, that is his matter. Whether he wants to resign or not, that is his matter,” The Star quoted Khaled as replying to reporters after attending a Maulidur Rasul celebration at Felda Air Tawar 2 here.

Khaled, who is also defence minister, said Loke’s resignation offer should not be confused with the decision involving Najib.

Khaled reiterated that the decision to grant Najib a conditional pardon and allow him to serve the remainder of his sentence under house arrest was within the constitutional prerogative of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.

He said Umno welcomed the decision and would respect the authority exercised by the King.

Loke said yesterday that DAP respected the Yang di-Pertuan Agong’s power to grant pardons but had its own position on Najib’s conditional pardon, which he said was difficult for the party to accept.

He said only he would offer to resign, while the other DAP ministers and deputy ministers would remain in government to ensure political stability.

Najib was granted a conditional pardon last Friday allowing him to serve the remainder of his sentence under house arrest until August 23, 2028, subject to payment of a RM50 million fine.

He has been serving a six-year prison sentence at Kajang Prison since August 2022 after the Federal Court upheld his conviction and 12-year jail term for misappropriating RM42 million from SRC International, with the sentence and fine later reduced by the Pardons Board in 2024.