KUALA LUMPUR: Umno Supreme Council member Datuk Lokman Noor Adam claims he has been sacked from the party.
In a statement posted on Facebook, Lokman said he had been informed that he had been given the boot after a voting via show of hands during the Umno Supreme Council meeting this evening.
“I have been informed that I have been sacked from Umno. I accept this move by (Umno president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad) Zahid (Hamidi), but I will continue being loyal to Umno.
“I will continue my struggles in opposing Pakatan Harapan and the enemy’s lackeys in Umno through a non-governmental organisation Laskar Siber Malaysia.”
Lokman also harboured hope for ex-prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak to return as Umno president, where he would then reapply to become a party member.
“What’s more important is that Zahid’s plans to force 3.7 million Umno members to support (Prime Minister Tun Dr) Mahathir (Mohamad) as Pakatan Nasional chairman has failed,” he added.
Umno however had yet to release a statement on Lokman’s dismissal.
Earlier this week, Lokman had released an audio clip, allegedly of Zahid asking Umno members to form a new cooperation with Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) during a closed-door meeting.
He also called for Zahid’s resignation following the purported speech the latter made, where he had called for Umno to work together with Dr Mahathir, who is also Bersatu chairman.
It was believed that the decision to sack Lokman from the party was made during the Umno Supreme Council meeting.
Although news of Lokman’s sacking was not immediately known after the meeting, Lokman later broke the news on Facebook.
It was understood that Lokman is in Japan on personal matters.
Meanwhile, Datuk Dr Puad Zarkashi who is an appointed member to the council wrote a post on Facebook claiming that the sacking did not follow the proper channel.
“Lokman today was sacked as Umno member on recommendation by the party’s political bureau and not the disciplinary board. What’s the function of the disciplinary board?"
“It (the decision) also dishonoured the party’s presidential institution. I didn’t say this to defend Lokman, but any decision should be done in a just manner, not selective.”
Puad claimed he had expressed his opinion in the council but the effort was unsuccessful.