Not your father’s party, Shahidan tells Lokman
(FMT) – Perlis Umno leader Shahidan Kassim has taken Supreme Council member Lokman Noor Adam to task over the latter’s claim that former vice-president Hishammuddin Hussein is colluding with PPBM amid talk of a “backdoor government” formed through a realignment of political forces.
Shahidan told FMT that Lokman was attempting to create friction within Umno by insisting that disciplinary action be taken against Hishammuddin.
“Action should be taken against Lokman, not Hishammuddin, for creating problems and disunity within the party,” he added.
He also accused Lokman of questioning Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s decision to dismiss the allegations.
Lokman lodged a complaint with the party’s disciplinary board after Hishammuddin was reported to have been part of a group of Barisan Nasional MPs who attended a dinner-meeting with Economic Affairs Minister Mohamed Azmin Ali at his official residence.
It was alleged that the meeting was to gather support for Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
Lokman had called for stern disciplinary action against Hishammuddin for allegedly attempting to sway Umno MPs to declare support for Mahathir and Azmin.
However, Shahidan rubbished Lokman’s suggestion that Hishammuddin had been involved in arranging the meeting.
“He did not organise the meeting. Someone else is involved. He (Lokman) is picking the wrong target,” he said.
He added that the meeting was unrelated to Umno, saying it was to discuss “issues related to (the MPs’) constituencies”.
He likewise questioned Lokman’s motive for investigating a video clip leaked in June, implicating Azmin in a same-sex scandal.
“On whose orders did he carry out the probe, whose directive? Umno did not give any instruction to probe the video. Why did he use Umno’s name?” he said, referring to reports that Lokman had submitted to the police a forensic report on the video from a Birmingham-based company.
Shahidan also claimed that Lokman had not been meeting with Umno MPs.
“And now, suddenly, he wants action to be taken against some Umno MPs.
“Lokman must remember that Umno does not belong to his father. It belongs to all Malays. And if there are issues, everyone must follow the rules and regulations of the party,” he said.