Why the massive Umno buildings in every major town?

There are many Umno buildings throughout Malaysia, unlike in other countries where political parties do not have their own buildings.

COMMENT

Travel around Malaysia and you will not fail to notice the Umno buildings in state capitals – massive, multi-storey affairs which proudly display the party logo. Most importantly, they are always situated on prime land.

How does a political party afford such properties? The land alone must have cost millions of ringgit. The structures would have cost millions more to build. Who owns the properties? Umno? Their cronies? Their leaders? Their nominated individuals? The country?

Did a major Umno supporter pay for the land and buildings and receive, in exchange for his “donations”, privileged access to government contracts? If so, this would be a conflict of interest. What happens if there is a major fallout, or if the crony or donor switches sides?

Did an Umno crony who owned the land sell it to the party below market rates in exchange for contracts? Or did an Umno crony who owned the land sell it at a high cost to the party and pocket the difference?

The fees from Umno members would not support the purchase of such properties. It is even said that many members do not pay their membership fees. They are nominated and their fees are paid by the party. Party membership fees did not pay for the multi-million ringgit prime estates dotted around the country.

Visit England, Australia, France or Iceland – you will not see grand, ostentatious buildings for individual political parties.

In England, for instance, parties usually hold their AGMs at conference centres in major cities such as Blackpool or Brighton. Delegates make their own way there and pay for their own accommodation. They attend the AGMs at their own expense. This is not the case in Malaysia.

So what’s the true story behind the cost of each Umno state headquarters building?

What are the annual costs? How much does it cost to maintain? What other costs are involved? What is the main purpose of these buildings?

Umno AGMs are usually held at the main Umno headquarters in Kuala Lumpur. How is the building used throughout the rest of the year? Is it rented out for other conventions? One might see this happening in Kuala Lumpur, but what about other towns like Ipoh and Penang? Or are the massive buildings just a sign of their leaders’ ego?

Earlier this week, FMT ran a story on an Umno training camp in Janda Baik, Pahang. Several wealthy and influential people also own properties there. They go there for weekend retreats with their families, to escape the stifling heat, pollution and smog of Kuala Lumpur.

The price of land there is not cheap. The rich and famous live amid durian and fruit orchards. Ponds lie teeming with fish between the trees.

This area probably has more gentlemen farmers than traditional village farmers. But what is the story of how Janda Baik became an Umno retreat? Why does Umno need a training camp at all? What goes on behind its gates?

This training camp, along with the Umno skyscrapers, is worthy of investigation.

Mariam Mokhtar is an FMT columnist.