TAKE COVER, UMNO IS ABOUT TO COLLAPSE: DR MAHATHIR ISSUES DISASTER WARNING FOR FORMER RULING PARTY – EVEN AS ITS NEW CHIEF ZAHID PUTS ON HOLD PLANS TO BUILD 70-STOREY NEW HQ

Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad has predicted that Umno – a party he led for 22 years – will collapse.

“Umno is fragmented now, it is going to collapse. There is no future for Umno anymore because the people detest Umno.

“That is why they supported the opposition so strongly (in the recent general election),” said Mahathir, who now leads the Pakatan Harapan coalition, according to The Star Online.

He said this in response to a question during a meeting with the US Council on Foreign Relations in New York, at the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.

To a question on corruption in Umno, Mahathir said: “He (former Umno president Najib Abdul Razak) has undermined the leadership of the party and even the rank and file because he gave them money.

“So they supported him because some of them felt comfortable with more money.”

Mahathir’s remarks on Umno comes amidst intensifying attempts by Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi to forge fresh political alliances.

Zahid had admitted that he led an Umno delegation to see Mahathir recently to express how Umno no longer wanted to be part of the opposition.

Zahid had also stated that Umno’s goal now was to be part of a “unity government”.

After Zahid was elected as Umno president, the party was rocked by a string of defections, whittling down their number of MPs to 49. – M’kini

Umno’s new HQ put on hold, says Zahid

UMNO has decided to temporarily shelve the construction of its new headquarters, meant to be part of a 70-storey tower at the Putra World Trade Centre, according to the New Straits Times.

Quoting Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, the report said the project has been put on hold “until all negotiations were completed”.

“With the current economic situation, we feel like we have to keep our options open.

“We have held discussions on the matter with the project developer and they might want to invite partners, or sell their shares, or have a joint venture with others,” he was quoted as saying.

Last year, at its 71st anniversary, Umno launched the project which will see the party getting a new home next to its present headquarters.

The ground-breaking ceremony at the project site in Jalan Putra was recorded and screened live at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil, where the anniversary celebrations were held.

The office and hotel tower is to be built on the site of the existing Hentian Putra Bus Terminal and car park, and is expected to be completed by 2020. — https://www.themalaysianinsight.com

MKINI / THE MALAYSIAN INSIGHT