KUALA LUMPUR – Former Klang MP Charles Santiago has countered DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke’s recent remarks on fellow party leader Yeo Bee Yin’s following her comments about former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s judicial review decision.
Speaking with Scoop, Santiago described the Transport Minister’s statement as “not right in a democratic sense,” emphasising that while one can debate the tone or timing of Yeo’s remarks, labelling them as ‘unnecessary’ diverted attention from the substance of the issue to political convenience.
Santiago defended Yeo, stating that she neither incited violence, spread falsehoods, nor attacked private citizens. Instead, she simply shared a political judgment regarding Najib.
“When accountability is reframed as ‘extra stabs,’ it subtly re-centres the feelings and dignity of the powerful over the public’s right to moral clarity,” he said.
While acknowledging Loke’s responsibility to manage tensions within the unity government, which includes DAP and Umno, Santiago argued that coalitions, by their nature, are formed through compromise and disagreements.
He warned that if the stability of such a coalition depended on silencing criticism of a convicted former leader, the issue lay not with the speech itself but with the fragility of the coalition.
Santiago also suggested that Loke’s statement, potentially intended as damage control, was likely a signal to Umno that DAP would manage its internal voices.
While this may be understandable from a coalition-management perspective, he expressed concern about the implications for democratic values.
“Rectification here did not mean clarifying facts or defending free expression; it meant disciplining narrative boundaries and implicitly telling party members—and possibly even the public—that some truths are better left unsaid for the sake of political harmony,” Santiago explained.
The former MP concluded by affirming that Yeo’s comments were made in her capacity as an elected representative, speaking out on the issue of accountability in corruption cases. Rather than undermining institutions, Yeo had reaffirmed them by acknowledging the court’s decision and rejecting exceptional treatment for the powerful.
Loke had recently cautioned against remarks that could strain ties with Umno, following backlash over Yeo’s social media post celebrating the rejection of Najib’s house arrest bid.
The High Court, led by Judge Alice Loke, recently dismissed Najib’s application to enforce an alleged royal addendum that would have allowed him to serve the remainder of his sentence under house arrest.
The judge ruled that the alleged addendum was invalid, as it exceeded the provisions of Article 42 of the Federal Constitution and failed to comply with the mandatory procedures for exercising the royal prerogative of mercy.
In December, Barisan Nasional (BN) secretary-general Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir criticisied Yeo’s social media post on the court ruling regarding Najib’s judicial review application. Zambry condemned her comment, in which she called the court decision “another reason to celebrate this year end,” as inappropriate.
“Why the need to celebrate? Don’t celebrate the suffering of others. Life is a cycle. Remember your leaders are not infallible either,” Zambry posted on his Facebook page.
Umno Youth chief Datuk Dr Muhamad Akmal Saleh also voiced his anger, calling for Umno to withdraw its support for the government, suggesting it would be better to serve as a dignified opposition rather than endure humiliation from coalition partners.
“What else are we waiting for? Just withdraw support from this government. Let us be a dignified opposition rather than be insulted by these foolish people,” he said in a video shared on Facebook.
Following heated exchanges with the DAP, Akmal has also announced his resignation as a Melaka executive councillor, declaring his decision to dedicate himself to opposing DAP.
His resignation, revealed during the Umno Youth general assembly, has sent shockwaves through the party and reignited debate about Umno’s uneasy partnership with DAP.
Akmal, also the Merlimau assemblyman, explained that his resignation was driven by principle, reflecting the sentiments of grassroots members uncomfortable with DAP’s role in government.
“I will fight DAP to the end,” he said, adding that his departure was not an abandonment of Umno Youth, which he will continue to lead. – January 15, 2026