KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 9 — Umno has sacked Datuk Lokman Noor Adam as a party member instead of merely removing him from the party’s supreme council, party secretary-general Tan Sri Annuar Musa has clarified.
According to Umno’s own website, Annuar said Umno’s supreme council had decided to sack Lokman from the party following the recommendation and approval from the party’s political bureau.
He said that Lokman’s expulsion meant that the latter has automatically lost his qualification to be a member of Umno’s supreme council.
Annuar accused Lokman of being untruthful in many matters and failing to understand Umno’s party constitution in matters regarding the position and powers of the party president and appointed supreme council members.
“He also tried to create a perception that the president purportedly abused powers, besides pitting Datuk Seri Najib Razak against Umno’s highest leadership,” Annuar was quoted saying in a statement carried yesterday by party mouthpiece Umno Online, referring to current party president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and his immediate predecessor Najib.
“Datuk Seri Najib Razak had several times said that he does not intend to become president and prime minister again, hence, Lokman lied and tried to confuse and give false hope to his supporters,” Annuar also said.
According to Umno Online, the party supreme council held a meeting on Friday at the party’s headquarters at Kuala Lumpur.
On Friday, Lokman himself took to social media to announce that Umno’s supreme council had decided to expel him as a party member, but said he would remain loyal to the party and continue to fight against Pakatan Harapan and Umno’s internal saboteurs through cybertrooper activities.
Lokman had also said in his Facebook post that he would apply to be an Umno member again when Najib returns as party president.
Lokman, who was an Umno supreme council member prior to his expulsion, had previously criticised Zahid for being “weak” and “having no principle” over the latter’s alleged remarks that Umno must work with Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad as PAS was doing so.
