Datuk Lokman Noor Adam speaks to reporters in Kuala Lumpur February 12, 2020. — Picture by Firdaus Latif

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 12 — Former Umno supreme council member Datuk Lokman Noor Adam claimed he was expelled from the party for exposing its leadership’s purported plan to form a backdoor government with Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s Bersatu.

He insisted the officially stated reason for his sacking — betraying the party’s trust and exposing its secrets — was false.

“I received a letter today, dated to February 10, which said I have been expelled for violating article 20.8 of Umno’s constitution, concerning guarding the party honour, safekeeping its secrets, and making false statements,” Lokman said during the launch of a new pro-Umno and Barisan Nasional NGO at Wangsa Maju.

He insisted that no secrets were revealed or false statements made, only his allegation that Umno president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi aimed to betray 3.7 million party members by forming a government with Dr Mahathir.

“Thankfully my revelation of their intent has forced them to cancel their plans to form ‘Pakatan Nasional’, and they are now forced to achieve their goals through Muafakat Nasional,” Lokman said.

He further alleged that Zahid has since met with the other council members and obtained statutory declarations from each of them, adding these were now in Dr Mahathir’s possession.

“Make no mistake, if you go on ground and ask Umno grassroots members themselves about this move, you will discover at least 95 per cent of them are opposed to forming a government with Tun’s party.

“This in turn may cause their secretive efforts to fail. So in the meantime, I will help form pressure groups and watchdogs to keep track of things on both sides,” Lokman said.

When asked if he would appeal his expulsion, Lokman said he is considering it, but would have to discuss it with his lawyer first.

“But I will still support Umno and BN in my personal capacity, as I do not feel there is any other party in the country which can govern Malaysia as they do,” he said.

On Sunday, Umno secretary-general Tan Sri Annuar Musa said, when confirming Lokman’s sacking, that the decision was based on its political bureau’s advice, in which it deemed him to be 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.