Lokman Noor proposes Najib as opposition leader.
Khairy Jamaluddin has resumed his mockery of an Umno leader he once dubbed as having the “IQ of a carrot” after the latter called for Datuk Seri Najib Razak to return and lead the party.
After it was reported that Lokman has proposed that Najib be made de facto party leader and head of the federal Opposition, the former minister tweeted today: “Do not spread fake news. No one will propose a dumb suggestion such as this. I am confident that @LokmanAdam too will not be dumb like this.”
“Eh,” he added pointedly when attaching a news report of Lokman’s statement.
Lokman made the proposal after Umno president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi relented to pressure for him to step aside pending his criminal trials and handed over his presidential duties to his deputy, Datuk Seri Mohamad Hassan.
Lokman said the appointment was crucial to ensure Umno’s stability as more than half of Umno members who voted for Zahid as president would not accept Mohamad’s leadership.
Lokman said he was disappointed at Zahid’s decision to step aside, calling the move a “victory” for Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
“In such a critical situation, Umno needs the services of an experienced leader who is respected by BN MPs who have not jumped (ship), as well as those who have jumped,” Lokman said in a statement on Wednesday (Dec 19).
“Based on this, as Umno supreme council member, I suggest that the Umno president (Ahmad Zahid) appoint Najib as Umno’s de facto leader as well as the opposition leader while the Umno president is on leave,” he added.
Lokman said Mohamad had never defended Zahid when the latter was attacked by those pressuring him to step down.
Calls for the Bagan MP to step aside or to take leave from his post have been made by several leaders in the party, including Rembau MP Khairy Jamaluddin, Umno veteran Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah and Youth chief Datuk Dr Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki.
Dr Ahmad Zahid is currently facing a total of 46 charges – 11 counts of CBT, eight graft charges and 27 money laundering charges.
In an exchange last month, Lokman reprimanded Khairy by saying his behaviour was unbecoming of a politician aspiring to become the president of Umno.
Khairy bluntly told Lokman to hope the former never become Umno president as his first order of business would be to expel the latter for having the “IQ of a carrot”.