Anthony Loke Siew Fook

Summary

Anthony Loke Siew Fook is a DAP veteran and two-term Minister of Transport who has represented the Seremban parliamentary seat since 2013 and the Chennah state seat in Negeri Sembilan since the same year. As the party's Secretary-General since 2022, he occupies a dual role as a senior cabinet minister and the organisational head of Malaysia's largest opposition-turned-coalition party. His ministerial agenda centres on public transport improvement, digitalisation of government transport services, and road safety enforcement.

Biography

Anthony Loke Siew Fook (born 28 April 1977 in Seremban, Negeri Sembilan) is a Malaysian politician serving as the Member of Parliament for Seremban since May 2013 and State Assemblyman for Chennah since 2013 [1]. He is also the current Minister of Transport in the Unity Government under Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, a post he has held since December 2022, and previously held from May 2018 to February 2020 under the Pakatan Harapan administration led by Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad [1]. He is a member of the Democratic Action Party (DAP) and has served as its 6th Secretary-General since March 2022 [1]. Loke received his early education at St. Paul's Institution and Seri Ampangan High School in Negeri Sembilan. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Development Science from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) and a Master's Degree in Public Administration from Universiti Malaya (UM) [2]. He joined DAP in 1994 at the age of 17 and rose through the party ranks, serving as DAPSY chief and Negeri Sembilan DAP chairman before becoming National Organising Secretary and, later, Secretary-General [2]. His electoral career spans over two decades, beginning with his first win at the Lobak state seat in 2004, moving to the Rasah parliamentary seat in 2008, and subsequently winning both the Seremban parliamentary seat and the Chennah state seat from 2013 onwards [1]. As Transport Minister, his declared priorities include improving public transport, digitalisation of transport services, and road safety [3]. He has confirmed his intention to defend the Chennah seat in the upcoming 2026 Negeri Sembilan state election [4].

Known for

Anthony Loke is identified primarily as Malaysia's Minister of Transport, a role he has held across two separate administrations, making him one of the most experienced figures in Malaysian transport policy. He is also the Secretary-General of DAP, the party's highest administrative post, which he has held since March 2022. Within Negeri Sembilan, he is a long-serving state assemblyman for Chennah, having won the seat consecutively since 2013.

Political positions

On transport and infrastructure, Loke has stated that improving public transport, digitalisation of services, and road safety are his ministry's core agenda items [3]. He has noted that Malaysia's public transport usage stands at only 20 per cent, below the 40 per cent target in the National Transport Policy 2019–2030, and has framed raising that figure as a central challenge [5]. He has pushed for digitalisation of road transport services through agencies like JPJ and promoted subsidised travel passes such as the My50 Pass, under which the government bears RM100 of each RM150 monthly pass [5]. On governance and accountability, as DAP Secretary-General he has called for a Royal Commission of Inquiry into alleged exploitation of enforcement institutions, though the proposal has not advanced at cabinet level [6]. At the Negeri Sembilan state level, he has advocated for a state-level anti-party hopping law and for climate change adaptation measures including a dedicated inter-agency action committee [2]. On road enforcement, he has directed JPJ to take firm action against overloaded vehicles and has indicated his ministry is studying amendments to the Road Transport Act to strengthen enforcement powers [6].

Education

1. 2000Graduated from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) with a Bachelor of Science in Development Science.⛓
2. Post-2000Obtained a Master's Degree in Public Administration from Universiti Malaya (UM).⛓

Before politics

1. 1994Joined DAP at age 17, the minimum membership age at the time.⛓

Political career

1. 2004Won the Lobak state seat in the Negeri Sembilan state election, marking his electoral debut. Also appointed DAP Political Education Director and elected to the DAP Central Executive Committee.⛓
2. 2008Defended the Lobak state seat for a second term and captured the Rasah parliamentary seat in the 12th General Election.⛓
3. May 2013Won both the Seremban parliamentary seat and the Chennah state seat in the 13th General Election, switching from Rasah and Lobak respectively.⛓
4. May 2018Appointed Minister of Transport under Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad following Pakatan Harapan's victory in the 14th General Election. Also retained Seremban and Chennah seats.⛓
5. February 2020Removed as Minister of Transport following the collapse of the Pakatan Harapan government in the 2020 political crisis.⛓
6. March 2022Elected as the 6th Secretary-General of DAP at the 17th DAP National Congress, replacing Lim Guan Eng.⛓
7. November 2022Retained the Seremban parliamentary seat in the 15th General Election with a majority of 30,841 votes.⛓
8. December 2022Reappointed as Minister of Transport by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim in the Unity Government.⛓
9. August 2023Retained the Chennah state seat for a third consecutive term in the Negeri Sembilan state election, defeating PN candidate Rosmadi Arif with a majority of 2,200 votes.⛓
10. March 2025Reappointed as DAP Secretary-General at the 18th DAP National Congress, securing 2,508 votes (5th highest) in the Central Executive Committee election.⛓

Election history

• 2026Chennah (State)Pending⛓
• 2023Chennah (State)Won⛓
• 2022Seremban (Parliament)Won⛓
• 2018Chennah (State)Won41.5%⛓
• 2018Seremban (Parliament)Won50.4%⛓
• 2013Chennah (State)Won⛓
• 2013Seremban (Parliament)Won⛓
• 2008Lobak (State)Won⛓
• 2008Rasah (Parliament)Won⛓
• 2004Lobak (State)Won⛓

Perspectives on key issues

• GovernmentAs a cabinet minister and DAP Secretary-General, Loke is a senior figure in the Unity Government coalition. He has publicly supported government policy on public transport subsidies, digitalisation, and continuing major infrastructure projects such as the ECRL.⛓
• OppositionAt the Negeri Sembilan state level, the state Opposition leader has used the Supply Bill debate to challenge Loke on enforcement of overloaded vehicles, prompting Loke to defend JPJ's mandate and signal potential Road Transport Act amendments.⛓
• VerifiedFactsLoke has retained the Chennah state seat three consecutive times (2013, 2018, 2023) and the Seremban parliamentary seat since 2013. His 2023 Chennah majority of 2,200 votes was higher than his 2018 majority of 1,155 votes, per Election Commission data reported by Bernama.⛓
• IndustryThe Edge Malaysia has reported that Loke's transport portfolio encompasses heavily indebted state-linked entities including KTM and Prasarana, and that his ministry's approach involves accelerating procurement, unlocking stalled projects, and demanding stricter accountability from operators.⛓