Umno Supreme Council member Lokman Noor Adam tonight said he was told he has been sacked by the party.
“I was removed from the Umno Supreme Council WhatsApp group at 8.01pm today.
“I was informed by someone that I have been sacked,” he was quoted as saying.
However, Lokman said he has not been informed by party secretary-general Annuar Musa of any sacking.
Earlier this evening, Umno Supreme Council member Bung Moktar Radin said Lokman had been referred to the party’s disciplinary board for his remarks against party president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
This comes after Lokman hit out at Zahid for allegedly saying Umno must work with Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad because PAS is doing so.
Separately, in a Facebook posting, Lokman said he was told that action was being taken against him by a show of hands, “which shouldn’t have happened”.
He also claimed some of those present at the meeting were not Supreme Council members.
“I accept the action by party president Ahmad Zahid Hamid, but I will remain faithful to Umno,” he said.
Lokman, seen as an ardent supporter of former prime minister Najib Razak, said he will continue to fight for Umno through NGO Laskar Siber Malaysia.
Lokman also harboured hope for Najib 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.
Former Umno Supreme Council member Puad Zakarshi also weighed in on the reported “sacking” of Lokman, saying he was removed based on recommendations by the political bureau and not the disciplinary board.
“What is the function of the disciplinary board then? Why hasn’t any action been taken on Hishamuddin Hussien,” Puad asked on Facebook.
“Isn’t his (Hishammuddin’s) meetings with Mahathir without informing the Umno Supreme Council and the party president against party discipline?”
Lokman is seen as a constant thorn in the side of the party leadership, having recently berated party leaders for not taking action against senior party member Hishammuddin Hussein for allegedly working closely with Dr Mahathir.