‘A leader must be decisive’: Loke says ‘conscience is clear’ as he reflects on time as minister

PUTRAJAYA, Nov 11 — In a recent speech at the Transport Ministry's monthly assembly and Deepavali celebrations, former Transport Minister Anthony Loke expressed his conviction that his actions and words were guided by a clear conscience during his tenure as minister. Addressing the gathering, Loke acknowledged his gratitude to all those in the ministry and extended apologies to anyone who may have been affected by his previous words or actions, or any mistakes he may have made.

His speech spanned nearly 48 minutes, during which he highlighted the importance of decisiveness in leadership, a key lesson he learned during his two stints as Transport Minister from 2018 to 2020 and from December 2022 to November 2026. Loke emphasized that while not all decisions could be considered 100 percent correct, the ability for a leader to make decisions was crucial, as civil servants were most troubled when ministers failed to make choices.

Despite the possibility of errors, Loke maintained that such mistakes should serve as lessons to make the organization better. He concluded his address with a wish for everyone celebrating Deepavali to have a happy festival and expressed his thanks for the cooperation of all attendees, who responded with a standing ovation.