Anthony Loke Explained

Honorific-Prefix:Yang Berhormat Tuan
Anthony Loke Siew Fook
Office1:Minister of Transport
Term Start1:3 December 2022
Monarch1:Abdullah

Ibrahim Iskandar
Primeminister1:Anwar Ibrahim
Deputy1:Hasbi Habibollah
Predecessor1:Wee Ka Siong
Deputy2:Kamarudin Jaffar
Term Start2:21 May 2018
Term End2:24 February 2020
Monarch2:Muhammad V
Abdullah
Primeminister2:Mahathir Mohamad
Predecessor2:Liow Tiong Lai
Successor2:Wee Ka Siong
Office3:6th Secretary-General of the
Democratic Action Party
1Blankname3:National Chairman
1Namedata3:Lim Guan Eng
Term Start3:20 March 2022
Predecessor3:Lim Guan Eng
Deputy3:V. Sivakumar
Tengku Zulpuri Shah Raja Puji
Liew Chin Tong
Office4:2nd Parliamentary Leader of the
Democratic Action Party
Term Start4:11 July 2018
Term End4:20 March 2022
Predecessor4:Lim Kit Siang
Successor4:Nga Kor Ming
1Blankname4:Secretary-General
1Namedata4:Lim Guan Eng
Constituency Mp5:Seremban
Parliament5:Malaysian
Term Start5:5 May 2013
Majority5:12,553 (2013)
30,694 (2018)
30,841 (2022)
Predecessor5:John Fernandez (PRDAP)
Constituency Mp6:Rasah
Parliament6:Malaysian
Term Start6:8 March 2008
Term End6:5 May 2013
Majority6:13,151 (2008)
Predecessor6:Goh Siow Huat
(BNMCA)
Successor6:Teo Kok Seong
(PR–DAP)
Constituency Am7:Chennah
Assembly7:Negeri Sembilan State Legislative
Term Start7:5 May 2013
Majority7:1,098 (2013)
1,155 (2018)
2,200 (2023)
Predecessor7:Siow Chen Pin
(BN–MCA)
Constituency Am8:Lobak
Assembly8:Negeri Sembilan State Legislative
Term Start8:21 March 2004
Term End8:5 May 2013
Majority8:1,842 (2004)
6,928 (2008)
Predecessor8:Khoo Seng Hock
(BN–MCA)
Successor8:Siow Kim Leong
(PR–DAP)
Birth Name:Loke Siew Fook
Birth Date:28 April 1977
Birth Place:Seremban, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia
Party:Democratic Action Party (DAP)
(since 1994)
Otherparty:Gagasan Rakyat (GR)
(1994–1996)
Barisan Alternatif (BA)
(1999–2004)
Pakatan Rakyat (PR)
(2008–2015)
Pakatan Harapan (PH)
(since 2015)
Nationality:Malaysian
Spouse:Ng Chi Ling
Alma Mater:National University of Malaysia (BSc)
University Malaya (MPA)

Anthony Loke Siew Fook (born 28 April 1977) is a Malaysian politician who has served as the Minister of Transport for the first term in the Unity Government administration under Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim since December 2022 and previously in the Pakatan Harapan administration under former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad from May 2018 to the collapse of the PH administration in February 2020, the Member of Parliament (MP) for Seremban since May 2013, Rasah from March 2008 to May 2013 and Member of the Negeri Sembilan State Legislative Assembly (MLA) for Chennah since May 2013, Lobak from March 2004 to May 2013. He is a member of the Democratic Action Party (DAP), a component party of the PH and formerly Pakatan Rakyat (PR) coalitions. He has served as the 6th Secretary-General of DAP since March 2022, 2nd Parliamentary Leader of DAP from July 2018 to March 2022 and previously as National Organising Secretary of DAP and Youth Chief of DAP or Chief of Socialist Youth (DAPSY). He was also the Leader of the Opposition of Negeri Sembilan and State Chairman of the PR of Negeri Sembilan.

Early life and education

Loke was born as Loke Siew Fook in Seremban, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia. He was educated at St. Paul's Institution and Seri Ampangan High School. He graduated from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia in 2000 with a Bachelor Degree of Science (BSc) in development science.[1]

His grandfather Loke Ching Fatt is the owner of the Loke Ching Kee restaurant where the now famous Chinese New Year dish yee sang became popular.[2] [3] He presented a history book on the dish in an audience with the Yamtuan Besar Tuanku Muhriz on January 31st 2020.[4]

Political career

In 1994, Loke joined DAP at the age of 17, the minimum age requirement of a DAP member. In 2004 Loke was elected to the Negeri Sembilan State Legislative Assembly for the seat of Lobak, and retained his seat in the 2008 election, when he also won election to the federal parliament for the constituency of Rasah. In the 2013 election he switched seats at both state and federal levels, contesting and winning Chennah in the legislative assembly and Seremban in the federal parliament.

Loke apologised to Pakatan Harapan Chairman Mahathir Mohamad after over 40 billboards featuring the leader have to be covered under orders from Election Commission of Malaysia.[5]

Loke defended both his Parliament (Seremban) and State (Chennah) seats in 2018 election (GE14) by defeating MCA's candidates, Chong Sin Woon (Parliament) and Seet Tee Gee (State) with a majority of 30,694 votes and 1,115 votes respectively.[6] [7]

In the first Pakatan Harapan Cabinet following victory in GE14, Loke was announced as the new Minister of Transport by Prime Minister Mahathir.[8] He was among the first of 14 Cabinet ministers. He was sworn in on 21 May at Istana Negara.[9]

On 20 March 2022, on the 17th DAP National Congress, Loke was re-elected into the Central Executive Committee with 1625 votes, the 3rd highest vote, after Gobind Singh and Chow Kon Yeow.[10] He was then appointed as DAP's 6th Secretary-general after Lim Guan Eng had stepped down from the role after 17 years.[11]

Controversies and issues

In February 2019, Loke's wife sat next to him during an official meeting with his Chinese counterpart, sparking controversy. Tee Ching Seng, the head of MCA's international communication and diplomacy bureau, questioned why Loke's wife was present at the official meeting.[12]

Election results

Year!
ConstituencyCandidateVotesPctOpponent(s)VotesPctBallots castMajorityTurnout
2004N11 Lobak (DAP)5,99159.08%Khoo Seng Hock (MCA)4,14940.98%10,3381,84270.87%
2008 (DAP)9,24480.00%Siow Koi Loon (MCA)2,31620.00%11,7146,92877.26%
2013N01 Chennah (DAP)5,12855.99% Siow Foo Wen (MCA)4,03044.01%9,3721,09883.75%
2018 (DAP)5,03150.91%Seet Tee Gee (MCA) 3,87639.22%10,0511,15582.94%
Jamalus Mansor (PAS)9759.87%
2023 (DAP)5,88861.49%bgcolor= Rosmadi Arif (BERSATU)3,68838.51%9,5762,20065.80%
Year!
ConstituencyCandidateVotesPctOpponent(s)VotesPctBallots castMajorityTurnout
2008P130 Rasah (DAP)34,27161.87%Yeow Chai Thiam (MCA) 21,12038.13%56,65413,15178.56%
2013P128 Seremban (DAP)45,62853.12%Yeow Chai Thiam (MCA) 33,07538.52%87,617 12,55385.64%
Abd Halim Abdullah (Berjasa) 6,8668.00%
John Fernandez (IND) 2210.26%
Bujang Abu (IND) 830.10%
2018 (DAP)55,50360.45%Chong Sin Woon (MCA) 24,80927.02%93,25430,69484.65%
Shariffuddin Ahmad (PAS)11,50612.53%
2022 (DAP)63,92051.85%Mohd Fadli Che Me (PAS) 33,07626.83%124,72930,84479.32%
Wong Yin Ting (MCA)24,58419.94%
bgcolor= Mohamad Jani Ismail (PEJUANG) 1,3361.08%
Izat Lesly (IND)3730.30%

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Anthony Loke infographic. 21 May 2018. Bernama. https://web.archive.org/web/20180521145925/http://www.bernama.com/en/infographics-v.php?id=706. 21 May 2018. 2018-05-21.
  2. News: 30 January 2012. 撈生出處掀爭議‧陸志就:無人能證實撈生來源‧芙蓉40年代已有魚生. Sin Chew Jit Poh. Sin Chew Jit Poh. dead. 22 February 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150222180310/http://news.sinchew.com.my/node/235071. 22 February 2015.
  3. News: Chew . Amy . Malaysian-Chinese politician's surprising link to a popular raw fish salad . . 16 May 2021. 15 July 2021 .
  4. News: 七彩鱼生创办人后裔 陆兆福与森王室成员捞生 . E-Nanyang . 31 January 2020 . 15 July 2020. zh-hans.
  5. Web site: Kami minta maaf Tun M. 2018-05-02. Astro Awani. https://web.archive.org/web/20180512075342/http://www.astroawani.com/berita-politik/kami-minta-maaf-tun-m-174323. 2018-05-12. 2018-05-12.
  6. News: Raja Rahim. Raja Noraina. PKR wins big in Negri Sembilan. 12 May 2018. New Straits Times. 10 May 2018.
  7. News: DAP's Anthony Loke wins Seremban parliamentary seat. 10 May 2018. The Star (Malaysia). https://web.archive.org/web/20180513022905/https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2018/05/10/dap-anthony-loke-wins-seremban-parliamentary-seat/. 2018-05-13. 13 May 2018.
  8. Web site: What Really Happened to Malaysia's Missing Airplane. William. Langewiesche. 1 July 2019. The Atlantic.
  9. News: PM Mahathir Mohamad announces Malaysia Cabinet. 2018-05-18. Channel NewsAsia. 2018-05-18. en-SG. 18 May 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180518215458/https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asia/pm-mahathir-mohamad-announces-malaysia-cabinet-10247844. dead.
  10. Web site: Gobind receives highest votes in DAP polls . 2022-03-20 . The Star . en.
  11. Web site: March 20, 2022 . Loke elected new DAP secretary-general . March 20, 2022 . FMT.
  12. Web site: 2019-02-28 . Loke's wife at official meeting courts controversy . The Star . en.