Witness: Anwar wanted to topple Mahathir
Lokman Noor Adam says the real reason why then PM Mahathir sacked his deputy, Anwar Ibrahim, was because of plans by Anwar to topple him.
(FMT) – Former PKR Youth Secretary Lokman Noor Adam told the High Court that then Deputy Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim had wanted his support in 1998 to topple the prime minister.
“I met Anwar’s political secretary, Ezam Mohd Nor, with two others in 1998,” he said. “Ezam asked me to join Anwar’s movement to topple Mahathir.
“He said Anwar could no longer work with the prime minister. He was ready to stand for the Umno presidency.”
He was taking questions from lawyer Shafee Abdullah.
Lokman was testifying during a RM100 million lawsuit by Anwar against Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin.
Anwar sued Khairy, then deputy Umno Youth chief, on March 7, 2008. He alleged the minister had uttered defamatory words against him during a ceramah.
Lokman said he verified Ezam’s statement with the special officer of then Umno Youth Chief Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
“The officer also said the same thing. Anwar had met him and another person at the deputy prime minister’s office.
“Anwar told them he could not work with Mahathir.”
Lokman said he was called to the deputy prime minister’s residence on Sept 2, 1998.
“I was told Anwar might be sacked as DPM and finance minister. And true enough, around 5.30 pm, three policemen came and handed Anwar his dismissal letter.”
He said the real reason Mahathir sacked Anwar was because he came to know about the latter’s plans to bring him down.
One month after Anwar’s dismissal, Lokman said Ezam, Assistant Umno Youth Secretary Saifuddin Nasution and he were sacked from Umno.
