DAP leaders: Declassify Pardons Board meeting minutes on Najib house arrest

KUALA LUMPUR, 30 SEPTEMBER 2026 —

Former DAP lawmaker Tony Pua has urged the government to declassify the minutes of the Pardons Board meetings to clarify the ministers' true stance on opposing a second pardon for Najib Abdul Razak, which would dispel external doubts that the coalition government made secret compromises.

DAP and Harapan have been trying to shift responsibility by arguing that board decisions are the sole prerogative of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong. Speaking on a podcast hosted by DAP national vice-chairperson Teo Nie Ching, Pua pointed out that only by declassifying the board meeting minutes and making them public can the truth be restored, proving that Harapan ministers did not pave the way for Najib within the system.

"This is so everyone can see who actually made the decision to release Najib or place him under house arrest." Pua stated that DAP and Harapan's stance as a whole has always been clear: individuals involved in corruption must serve their full sentences. He added that their government representatives also expressed opposition during the Pardons Board meetings.

Teo ( above ) backed the same demand, explaining that since board meeting minutes are bound by the Official Secrets Act (OSA), ministers are legally unable to disclose meeting details to the public, leading to public suspicion and even the misconception that the government is putting on a show behind closed doors. "If you want to verify what the attorney-general's stance was in the meeting, or what (DAP deputy secretary-general) Hannah Yeoh's stance was...

the best way is to declassify the meeting minutes and lay them out in the open. "People won't need to harbour doubts or guess whether the government or Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim had a different stance during the meeting." Touching on Loke's resignation, Pua revealed that the move was not an impulsive one, but something the former had considered well in advance.

Pua recalled that as early as March this year, when rumours were circulating that Najib might receive a pardon or serve house arrest, Loke had already gotten wind of the news and specifically invited him to dinner to discuss strategies and public sentiment. "When he (Loke) spoke to me about it, it was already March this year. So frankly, the rumour that Najib might be released to stay at home was already circulating.

By then, Loke had received the news." Pua ( above ) revealed that during the dinner, Loke evaluated various political options, including resigning in protest. The former MP noted that back then, he opined that the entire cabinet, not just Loke, should quit, as it would look awkward otherwise. However, he added that as the situation has evolved and Harapan government representatives explicitly expressed their opposition within the Pardons Board, circumstances have shifted.

Pua further revealed that after the Pardons Board announced its decision, the DAP Central Executive Committee (CEC) held an intense debate during a recent meeting over whether Loke should resign alone to take responsibility, or if all five ministers and seven deputy ministers should resign en masse in protest. Pua admitted that he originally advocated "if we resign, everyone resigns," but the party ultimately considered the bigger picture and political realities.

"If everyone resigned, frankly, a general election would happen next month, which plays right into Umno's hands. They want Parliament dissolved quickly so they can form a new government under current conditions and make (Umno president) Ahmad Zahid Hamidi the prime minister. That would be walking straight into the opponent's trap." Teo chimed in, saying that having the secretary-general resign alone is a measured yet powerful political statement.

This way, DAP ministers still retain a certain level of influence within the cabinet, demonstrating that the party has not given up on the reform process. She added that this move sends a clear warning to Anwar, proving that principled DAP ministers are prepared to step down, while also ensuring the party retains governance influence in the government to prevent their cabinet positions from falling to others.

Pua believes that Loke's ( below ) resignation is not a compromise, but the "first step" in pressuring Anwar to advance reforms. "What the public wants to see is action. I hope Loke's resignation applies pressure on the prime minister to intensify institutional reforms while ensuring government stability. "Loke's resignation is the first step.

If after the most heavyweight party leader resigns, the government still fails to respect the people's demand for reform, then there is no point in other ministers remaining in government." Pua also pointed out that stepping down from his cabinet post frees Loke from the constraints of "collective cabinet responsibility," allowing him to take a firmer stance outside the system to represent public sentiment and oversee the administration.

"He is no longer a minister and no longer shackled. Outside, he can freely bang the table and explain the real situation to the public." In the podcast, both Pua and Teo questioned the legal validity of the board's decision, with the former pointing out that Malaysia has no statutory law for house arrest.

"The board has the power to pardon Najib or reduce his sentence, but does it have the authority to change the punishment from prison to staying at home?

Even if there were precedents in the past, if it is legally wrong, doing it before does not make it legal now." Teo added that if DAP were to file a court challenge on the pardon against the king's prerogative, political opponents could easily hype it up into a racial conflict.

Related: Pardons Board · Tony Pua