My responsibility is to expose, not bury, abuses of those in power: Lokman Adam

KUALA LUMPUR – His intentions to protect the sanctity of the Islamic judiciary system and shariah courts was what drove Datuk Lokman Noor Adam to expose a senior judge’s alleged sexual harassment cases.

The Umno member told The Vibes how he saw it as his calling to expose the alleged erroneous behaviours of the high-ranking judge, as the actions and abuses of someone of such stature within a religion-guided institution is tarnishing the image of Islam.

“People like this cannot be protected because similar incidents could occur repeatedly.

“So, before he uses his position as the chief shariah judge, which is the highest here in Malaysia, it’s better that people know the actual issue and his appalling behaviour,” Lokman said when contacted.

When asked, Lokman said he has yet to be alerted by the police, or to be served any legal documents accusing him of spreading slander and committing criminal defamation against the senior judge.

“As of right now, neither police nor the authorities have tried getting in touch with me. However, I welcome him to make a police report as he has the rights.

“Apart from that, by lodging a police report, it will speed up the investigations and people will know the truth soon, too.

“Moreover, I have nothing to hide as I did not ‘tokok-tambah’ (exaggerate) anything,” he added.

Meanwhile, Sepang district police chief Wan Kamarul Azran Wan Yusoff confirmed with The Vibes that the judge has already lodged a report against Lokman.

Wan Kamarul said police only received the Order To Investigate (OTI) directive today, adding that Lokman would eventually be called in to record his statement.

“We initiated investigations into the case only yesterday so we do not have concrete information yet, but all witnesses involved will surely be called in.

“We don’t know for sure as to when Lokman will be called in; could be today, could be tomorrow, because there are also other issues to handle, not this one case only,” he said when contacted.

Wan Kamarul also confirmed that investigations under his district will remain separate from the probe being conducted by Ampang Jaya district police into the sexual harassment allegations brought against the senior shariah judge.

Yesterday, reports quoted the senior judge who said he had lodged a police report against Lokman, and how he intends to initiate legal action against the former Umno Supreme Council member.

The judge accused Lokman of slander and committing criminal defamation against him while denying the accusations levelled against him, saying they were all orchestrated by certain individuals to oust him from his position.

Ampang Jaya police chief Mohamad Farouk Eshak had told The Vibes yesterday about how several more witnesses will have to be interviewed before completing investigations into the case.

Farouk also said the investigation team has been ordered to probe into and expand several other elements of investigation by Bukit Aman’s Prosecution and Legal division following the report lodged against the judge in December last year. – The Vibes, January 13, 2022

Additional reporting by Zaidatul Syreen Abdul Rashid