- Loke Siew Fook, secretary-general of the Democratic Action Party (DAP), announced his resignation as Negri Sembilan chairman after the recent state election, stating it was the right time for new leadership; this decision was made after a DAP central executive committee meeting.
- Loke lost the Chennah seat in the state election and attributed his defeat to a smear campaign orchestrated by rivals, describing it as the toughest race he faced in 22 years of contesting elections.
- Loke described the campaign as full of personal attacks, including slander and unfounded allegations that he wanted to wrest power from the Malay establishment, which he stated led to resentment among the Malay community.
- Loke said he personally encountered Malay voters who asked if it was true he wanted to become menteri besar, indicating the impact of the smear campaign.
- Loke stated that DAP retained nine seats in the Negri Sembilan state election and felt it was the best time for someone else to take over the party's leadership in the state.
- Loke emphasized that his resignation was a personal decision and not due to pressure, despite requests from CEC members, including Lim Guan Eng, for him to continue.
Anthony Loke, DAP secretary-general, resigned as the party's Negri Sembilan chairman after a challenging election campaign, where he lost the Chennah seat to MCA's Siow Kong Choon by 688 votes. Loke attributed his defeat to a smear campaign by rivals, stating, "There were a lot of slander and unfounded allegations" against him.123456
At a press conference, Loke reflected on the campaign's intensity, saying, "I have contested in multiple elections... But this particular campaign was very tough because of the personal attacks against me". He noted that the smear campaign led to resentment among the Malay community, with voters questioning his intentions regarding the menteri besar position.7
Despite the loss, Loke emphasized that his resignation was a personal decision, not due to external pressure, and he felt it was the right time for new leadership after 22 years as chairman. He stated, "In the Negri Sembilan state election that just ended, we managed to retain nine seats. Comparatively, we are stronger than in 2004".8910
Loke will continue to serve as DAP secretary-general and mentioned that the upcoming national conference would allow delegates to decide on the party's future in government, emphasizing the importance of democratic processes within the party.
Loke's successor will be chosen from current committee members, marking a significant transition for the DAP in Negri Sembilan.
“Loke said the resignation was a personal decision, not due to pressure, and he will continue as DAP secretary-general after 22 years as state chairman. DAP retained nine seats in Negri Sembilan; his successor will be chosen from current committee members.”
The Star
