DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke disagreed with fellow party leader Yeo Bee Yin’s “another reason to celebrate” social media post after former premier Najib Abdul Razak failed in his application for house arrest.
The DAP publicity secretary’s post on Dec 22 greatly incensed Umno, sparking tensions between both parties.
Loke said Yeo did not need to give Najib “an extra stab”, as it would damage the cooperation between the two parties within the Madani government.
“My personal view is that this controversy was somewhat unnecessary and could have been handled better.”
Speaking on the Chinese podcast “The Keywords”, Loke said that DAP’s stance on Najib’s cases is well known, and it was precisely Najib’s case that triggered the people’s determination for reform, leading to BN’s fall and the change of government in 2018.
He added that Najib has now faced legal retribution.
“When the court ruled that the (royal) addendum was illegal or could not be implemented, he had to remain in prison. This is a judgment for him; he continues to receive the punishment he deserves.
“Therefore, I feel that the objective we wanted to achieve has already been achieved. There is no need to give an extra stab,” Loke said.
The Kuala Lumpur High Court had, on Dec 22 last year, dismissed Najib’s judicial review for house arrest. Later that day, Yeo wrote on Facebook: “Another reason to celebrate this year-end.”
These remarks caused severe backlash from Umno leaders, who took turns to slam Yeo. Many even advocated for withdrawing from the government to sever ties with DAP.
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim had to step in the following day, urging all parties to respect the court’s decision, and indirectly advised those who do not empathise with Najib not to aggravate the tense atmosphere.
‘Be joyful in your heart’
Loke also reminded that regardless of whether one “likes it or not”, Najib is a former leader of Umno, and DAP is in the same Madani government as Umno.
“So, when you cooperate (with Umno) within the same government, while we have our principles and our stance, sometimes in our language, communication, or interactions... we don’t need to ruin the relationship.
“Because if you want to talk about cooperation, about the government pushing forward and implementing reforms together, everyone must communicate. When we ruin (the relationship), communication becomes very difficult.”
Loke revealed that he has conveyed his views to Yeo.
“I said that I am not blaming her or scolding her; I am just saying that these (actions) are unnecessary and these (words) need not be said.
“If you want to be joyful, just be joyful by yourself. Be joyful in your heart; there is no need to express everything. So I think... it should be said that, in hindsight, she could have handled it better,” he said.
Gobind’s response ‘not a big problem’
Separately, regarding the fact that DAP’s official stance on Najib’s 1MDB conviction was conveyed via a statement by party chairperson Gobind Singh Deo rather than himself, Loke said he felt there was “no big issue”.
“We in DAP practise collective leadership. Gobind and I have very good coordination. Sometimes there is no need to compete to issue statements or compete to speak.
“We all coordinate. Some matters might be more suitable for him to handle, while others are more suitable for me. It doesn’t mean the (party stance) must always come from the secretary-general. He is the national chairperson, and the statements he issues also represent the stance of the entire party.
“I have always emphasised that DAP has entered an era of collective leadership where different people play different roles. Thus, I feel there is no big problem; there is no issue with him speaking on behalf of the whole party,” he said.
Loke further denied doubts that Gobind lacked political weight.
“Doesn’t Gobind carry weight? Gobind carries weight; he is the national chairperson and minister. Additionally, he has a profound legal background. Therefore, regarding this (Najib’s 1MDB case) issue, the statement he issued represents the party’s stance.” - Mkini
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