KUALA LUMPUR: Umno has launched a crowdfunding campaign to finance its activities following the civil forfeiture suit filed on its party accounts by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), says party president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
He said the public exercise aims to collect money to finance its administration and activities, especially its preparations for the next general election.
“Umno, for the first time, will launch a crowdfunding campaign to enable the party to finance its management and administration as well as its activities so that we can continue to be politically active,” he said in a press conference after chairing the Umno supreme council meeting here yesterday.
The party, he added, will try to ensure that they have enough funds for preparations and machinery for the next general election.
“What we need is for our preparations for the general election. We will ensure that the funds are ‘clean’ with a professional body managing and checking the source of funds that come through this campaign.
“I believe not only will we get funds from the members and leaders, but also from others who sympathise with Umno and are willing to help out.”
On June 21, the MACC filed a civil forfeiture suit against 41 recipients and entities to recover RM270mil related to 1MDB.
The 41 named in the suit were individuals, political parties, trust funds and business entities that received monies from former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s personal AmBank account.
Umno was said to be the biggest recipient, with RM212mil going into the accounts of several state liaison committees, divisions and leaders.
Ahmad Zahid is also facing a total of 87 graft charges in court. He had earlier been on garden leave from his post after pressure from his party due to the charges. However, he announced his return to duty on June 30.
When asked whether he has the full support of all the division chiefs upon his return, he said: “We are more united than ever and I have the support of all 191 division chiefs. You can ask for proof from the secretary-general Tan Sri Annuar Musa on this.”
