Lokman Noor Adam

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Lokman Noor bin Adam ( Jawi: ; born 1 January 1973), better known by the nickname Lobakman, is a Malaysian politician who was appointed as the head of the Media Secretariat of the Unity Government since May 2023 and the chairman of the Board of Directors of the Permodalan RISDA Berhad since December 2023. He also served as the director of UMNO Communications since March 2023. He is a member of the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO), a component party of the BN coalition. He is currently a member of the UMNO Supreme Council since February 2023 as well as on July 2018 to February 2020, following his dismissal. Lokman Noor is an important figure for '' Reformasi'' in defending human rights and the freedom of Anwar Ibrahim. He has been detained under the ISA twice. On 15 July 2021, he was sentenced to one month in prison by the Kuala Lumpur High Court, after being found guilty of contempt of court for threatening the main witness Amhari Efendi in the 1Malaysia Development Berhad scandal case involving former prime minister Najib Razak.

Early life and education

Lokman Noor bin Adam was born on 1 January 1973 in Batu Pahat, Johor, Malaysia. He is the eldest of seven siblings. His father, Adam Ali who served as the former Head of Information for UMNO Kluang Division during Lokman Noor's childhood. He went to Batu Pahat High School and Kluang High School, Johor to completed his secondary education in 1990. Later, he continued his higher education at the MARA Institute of Technology (ITM), Perak (now known as the MARA Technological University (UiTM)) for the Diploma of Secretarial Science, where he graduated in 1994. He also received his Diploma in Siyassah Syarriah and Islamic leadership from the Institut Pengajian Ilmu-ilmu Islam (now known as the Islamic College of Science & Technology) in 2003 and Master's degree in Management (MIM) from the Graduate School of Business (GSB), Universiti Tun Abdul Razak (UNIRAZAK).

Early political career (1991–2004)

Early career in UMNO

Lokman Noor started getting involved in the political arena as early as the age of 15. He holds the record as the youngest Branch UMNO Youth Leader since he was 18 years old in 1991, being the Head of Umno Youth Branch Taman Kluang, Johor. He was appointed as the Secretary of the Culture and Arts Council of the Malaysian UMNO Youth Movement, the Rural Development Council Committee and the Malaysian UMNO Youth Science and Technology Council Committee (1996–1998).

At the beginning of his political career, he became Exco Youth of UMNO Malaysia, Chairman of the BN and UMNO Youth Speech Unit, BTN Rebranding Think Tank and Member of the UMNO Information Think Tank. However, he was fired from UMNO in 1998 for reprimanding Mahathir Mohamad, prime minister and UMNO president at the time about the Anwar Ibrahim sodomy case.

''Reformasi'' fighter and 1999 general election

After his dismissal, Lokman Noor became a fighter for the KeADILan and '' Reformasi'' wave from that moment on who was locked up eight times for leading a series of demonstrations defending the right to speak and assemble and fight for liberation of former deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim.

He was appointed as the first Johor KeADILan Youth Leader in 1999 and was elected as a member of the KeADILan Supreme Leadership Council in the party's first election. In the 1999 general election, Lokman Noor was elected by KeADILan for the Tenggara parliamentary constituency against the acting UMNO Youth Leader, Hishammuddin Hussein. He became the youngest candidate to contest this general election in Johor. Lokman Noor only managed to get 7,559 votes, losing with a majority of 20,817 votes to Hishammuddin Hussein.

In 2004, he was fired from KeADILan for reprimanding the then KeADILan Youth Leader, Mohamad Ezam Mohd Nor.

Political career (2006–present)

Strengthening his position in UMNO

He rejoined UMNO in 2006 in UMNO Shah Alam Division and served as Shah Alam UMNO Youth Exco and Malaysian UMNO Youth Exco (2008–2013). He was also appointed as Chairman of the BN and UMNO Youth Speech Unit (2009–2013) BTN Rebranding Think Tank (2016), Member of Malaysia UMNO Information Think Tank (2016–2018), Special Affairs Department Think Tank (2010–2016), Director Communications, Ministry of Finance Malaysia (2016–2018) and President of New Malaysia Monitor (2018).

He has also held the position of Director of Viral Command Center JASA and KKMM. While being a JASA Thinker Panel for almost seven years, he performed the task of responding to current issues on behalf of the government through writing, producing infographics, videos, publishing neural stimulation materials in addition to delivering lectures on current issues, presenting working papers, being a forum panel and debate representing government to civil servants, political party machinery, NGOs, domestic and foreign students.

2018 Sungai Kandis by-election

Lokman Noor was selected by the component parties Barisan Nasional (BN) and the UMNO party as a candidate for the 2018 Sungai Kandis by-election. This election saw a three-cornered clash between the Pakatan Harapan (PH)– People's Justice Party (PKR), BN–UMNO and Independent candidates. PKR nominated Mohd Zawawi Ahmad Mughni while BN–UMNO has placed Lokman Noor. An independent candidate Murti Krishnasamy also nominated himself on the nomination day. Mohd Zawawi Ahmad Mughni defeated Lokman Noor with a majority of 5,842 votes.

Malaysia Unity Government phase

He was reappointed as a Member of the UMNO Supreme Council on 17 February 2023. This statement was informed by the Deputy President of UMNO, Mohamad Hasan via phone call.

On late May 2023, he was appointed as the Head of the Media Secretariat of the Unity Government by the Secretariat of the Unity Government of Malaysia led by Anwar Ibrahim. He also holds the position of UMNO Communications Director since March 2023. He was appointed as the chairman of the Board of Directors of the Permodalan RISDA Berhad since December 2023 by Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Rural and Regional Development.

Controversies and issues

ISA detention twice

In 1998, Lokman Noor was detained under the Internal Security Act (ISA) for 2 months, while in 2001 to 2003, he was detained under the Internal Security Act (ISA) for two years and two months. He was also arrested eight times and detained under the ISA in 1998 for leading a demonstration to defend the right to speak and assemble to fight for Anwar Ibrahim who was sacked as deputy prime minister on allegations of corruption and sodomy. Whereas, in 2001, he was again arrested under the ISA and released in 2003.

Adviser to Sultan of Sulu

Lokman Noor said that he had indeed been an advisor to the Sultan of Sulu who was "recognized" by the Malaysian government, Sultan Roodinood Julaspi Kiram in 2005 to 2006. His appointment as an adviser to the son of Sultan Julaspi Kiram was aimed at assisting with dealings with the Malaysian government regarding their welfare. He also added that "I admit, I was once appointed by the real Sultan of Sulu, Sultan Roodinood, son of Sultan Julaspi Kiram as his advisor around 2005 to deal with the Malaysian government regarding their welfare. "I also admit that I have printed the name card for the position for official business with the Malaysian government. To confirm this matter, you can refer to the foreign minister at the time, Syed Hamid Albar," he said in a media statement today.

Conflict with Khairy Jamaluddin

Lokman Noor and Khairy Jamaluddin clashed around 2018 because Lokman Noor defended former prime minister Najib Razak. This dispute caused Khairy to nickname Lokman Noor as "''Lobakman''". The name of this title comes from Khairy's Twitter account tweet against him in 2018 which called him having a low IQ like carrot. The post reads: “You better pray I dont become president of UMNO. First thing I'll do is sack you for having the IQ of a carrot." However, in the UMNO 2018 election, Khairy lost to Ahmad Zahid Hamidi for the position of UMNO President while Lokman Noor won the position of Member of the UMNO Malaysia Supreme Council.

Stripping of UMNO membership in 2020

On 2 January 2020, 7 UMNO Youth leaders filed a complaint and report to the UMNO Disciplinary Board and urged the party's Supreme Council to investigate Lokman Noor for violating party discipline.

They claimed that Lokman Noor at that time as a member had violated party discipline for disputing the decision made by the leadership regarding the investigation of the disciplinary board against the former Vice President Hishammuddin Hussein. In addition to the case related to Hishammuddin and criticism of Zahid, Lokman Noor has also publicly criticized the deputy president Mohamad Hasan and Umno Youth Chief Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki.

The seven UMNO Youth leaders who filed a complaint are Shah Zanuriman Nuar Paras Khan (Selayang UMNO Youth Leader), Mohd Alfie Zainal Abidin (Subang UMNO Youth Leader), Zulkifli Rajalie (Ampang UMNO Youth Leader), Ahmad Feardaus Daud (Gombak UMNO Youth Leader), Mohamad Syahir Mohd Yusof (Hulu Langat UMNO Youth Leader), Ashrul Ashryzad Mohd Nashri (Bandar Tun Razak UMNO Youth Leader) and Mohd Khairul Nizam Mohd Isa (Bukit Bintang UMNO Youth Leader). In addition to these seven youth leaders, a member of the Subang UMNO Youth committee, Izzat Zabir Sarif also made the same complaint.

On 7 February 2020, the UMNO Supreme Council issued a statement regarding the dismissal from the UMNO Supreme Council and dropping its membership. On 30 September 2021, Lokman Noor's application to rejoin UMNO was accepted by the party.

1MDB scandal

On 15 July 2021, Lokman Noor was sentenced to one month in prison by the High Court after being found guilty of contempt of court for threatening witnesses in the 1Malaysia Development Berhad case (1MDB) trial involving former prime minister Najib Razak.

On 29 September 2022, the prosecution asked the Court of Appeal to impose a heavier sentence on Lokman Noor.

Personal life

Lokman Noor married Nur Fazilah Ahmad Muhyidin and was blessed with 11 children (including three adopted children). Two of his adopted children are from Indonesia, while one is Rohingya.Lokman Adam mengaku tak salah [METROTV]
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Election results

Honour

Honour of Malaysia

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** Knight Companion of the Order of the Crown of Pahang (DIMP) – Dato' (2015)

Note

See also

* 1Malaysia Development Berhad scandal
* Najib Razak controversies

References

{{Reflist

Living people
1955 births
People from Johor
Malaysian politicians of Malay descent
Malaysian Muslims
Former People's Justice Party (Malaysia) politicians
United Malays National Organisation politicians
20th-century Malaysian politicians
21st-century Malaysian politicians
Malaysian democracy activists
Amnesty International prisoners of conscience held by Malaysia
Malaysian prisoners and detainees
Prisoners and detainees of Malaysia
20th-century criminals
21st-century criminals