DAP’s stance on Najib’s sentence unchanged, says Loke

DAP secretary-general Loke Siew Fook said the party’s position on former Umno president Najib Razak remains clear and consistent.

MUAR: DAP secretary-general Loke Siew Fook has rubbished allegations by its former Skudai assemblyman Marina Ibrahim that the party had taken an inconsistent stance on former prime minister Najib Razak.

Loke said DAP’s position on Najib remains clear and unchanged, that is for the court-imposed sentence on the former Umno president to be upheld.

“We have been consistent on this matter. A major scandal took place and a prison sentence has been imposed.

“The court’s decision must be respected and complied with by all parties,” he told reporters after a Pakatan Harapan ceramah in Bakri, here.

On Wednesday, Marina said she lost faith in politics following a conversation with a DAP leader, which she claimed touched on the possibility of a pardon for Najib and its implications for voter support.

Without naming the DAP leader, Marina said the conversation took place at a community clothing shop in Skudai on April 12.

She claimed that the leader told her that there was “nothing wrong” with allowing the former prime minister to serve the remainder of his jail sentence under house arrest because of his contributions to the nation.

However, she said the leader claimed it would be preferable for Najib to receive a royal pardon after the next general election. Otherwise, the leader said, the Chinese community’s trust in DAP would decline.

She also said that plans to manage public perception would be discussed at the DAP special congress on July 12, which has been postponed to August in the wake of the impending Johor and Negeri Sembilan elections.

According to Marina, the DAP leader said that if Najib were pardoned too early, some party leaders could resign from ministerial posts but continue to support the federal government.

Responding to the claim, Loke said it was common for individuals to make various allegations after leaving a party, describing it as part and parcel of politics.

“It’s nothing unusual. We’ve seen this happen many times before.

“But our party’s position is clear. Our struggle is not about any one person. We have moved on,” he added.