Umno supreme council member Datuk Lokman Noor Adam should be sacked for verbally attacking former vice-president Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein, Johor Umno Youth chief Mohd Hairi Mad Shah said.
Hairi reportedly labelled Lokman a “termite” who is damaging Umno’s foundations through public attacks on Umno leaders and urged the party to carry out stern action.
“Johor Umno Youth wing wants Lokman to be expelled as supreme council member and party member,” he was quoted as saying by The Star, adding that such stern action was important as the party was rebuilding itself and should not be damaged from within.
According to The Star, Hairi noted that Lokman had in the past also attacked other Umno top leaders, including the party president, deputy president, vice-president, secretary-general and youth chief.
Hairi also reportedly said Lokman as an Umno supreme council member should show maturity by expressing differing views through the party’s channels instead of aiding political rivals with his remarks, further questioning Lokman’s use of social media to air his criticisms against the party.
Hasni was reported as saying that he disagreed with Lokman’s approach which he said would cause more confusion among party members.
“Stop behaving like an Opposition member within our ranks as we should be fighting Pakatan instead picking fights among ourselves,” he was quoted as saying.
Meanwhile, under-fire Lokman has taken a jibe at Umno Youth and its leader Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki for backing president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi in calling for his dismissal.
This follows Lokman’s accusations that Zahid and secretary-general Annuar Musa had attempted to interfere with a disciplinary investigation into Hishamuddin for allegedly betraying Umno by furtively meeting with political foes in PKR.
“First, I would like to congratulate the Umno Youth movement that has stood in solidarity as instructed by Umno Youth leader Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki to defend the party president.
“This behaviour is very honourable, and I am proud of this drastic change in behaviour.
“I still remember when they took the approach of collectively attacking the president as soon as the president was elected by party grassroot members,” he said.
Certain state youth divisions had called for Zahid‘s resignation in 2018, claiming that he was incapable of leading the party.
“I was forced to defend the president alone and became a victim to their insults and verbal attacks,” Lokman said in a statement.
Lokman also questioned why he had been singled out for sharing on social media a video of his press conference.
He noted that Zahid himself had shared a video of an Umno Youth member from Kota Raja urging that Lokman be dismissed.
“When Umno Youth urged the president to resign, wasn’t the press conference uploaded on social media too?
The Umno Youth leaders who urged that I be sacked – wasn’t that also uploaded to social media? Why can you do it, but I can’t?” Lokman added.
Yesterday, Kelantan Umno Youth chief Noor Hariri Mohamed Noor had called for the party to dismiss Lokman, who he said had made slanderous accusations against the party president.