KUALA LUMPUR: Transport Minister Anthony Loke Siew Fook has reiterated that he will resign once former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak returns home to serve the remainder of his prison sentence under house detention.
Speaking at a press conference today, Loke said he understood that Najib had paid the RM50 million fine and obtained a court order allowing him to serve the remainder of his sentence at home.
However, Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail informed him that Najib was still at Kuala Lumpur Hospital for a dental check-up and had yet to return to his residence.
Loke said his resignation would take effect immediately upon Najib's arrival home. If the former prime minister returned today, he would resign the same evening.
Separately, the federal government gazetted Najib's residence in Taman Duta, Kuala Lumpur, and its surrounding premises as a prison under the Prisons Act 1995.
Najib left Kajang Prison in a grey sport utility vehicle at 2.37pm today and was taken to Kuala Lumpur Hospital before his expected transfer to his residence.
He is expected to serve the remainder of his sentence under house detention until Aug 23, 2028.
Loke had announced his intention to resign on Sept 19 following the decision to allow Najib to serve his sentence at home. On Sept 29, he confirmed that he had submitted his resignation letter to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.