'Umno still has billions in assets, use them to overcome frozen accounts'

UMNO AGM | Umno can overcome the hurdle of having its accounts frozen if the party liquidates some of its billions of ringgit in assets, says party youth deputy chief Shahril Hamdan.

"Umno was not founded yesterday... It has billions in assets. It is not in hands of banks or the government, but in the hands of Umno.

"Liquidate some of it and channel it downstream," Shahril said when wrapping up the Umno Youth wings assembly at the Putra World Trade Centre in Kuala Lumpur today.

"Even when Umno was in power, we (Umno Youth) didn't get anything. 

"We don't have big houses, RM2 million in savings... So help us, even if it is just a little."

Some 900 Umno accounts were reportedly frozen in June as part of investigations into the 1MDB scandal.

Malaysiakini previously reported that between 2011 and 2013, Selangor BN received about RM60 million from Najib's personal accounts – funds that are believed to be linked to 1MDB.

In his speech, Shahril said that the funds from the liquidation of assets can be used for party activities, although he admitted that these would have to be scaled back. 

He also echoed the sentiments of Umno Youth delegates not in favour of party president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi's reported plans of forming a unity government with Pakatan Harapan component parties.

"If you think cooperation is best, then go ahead, but that can't be our main direction.

"Others are planning to become prime minister, and yet we want to be brokers?" he said.

Shahril added that if Umno does not strengthen itself first before seeking new alliances, potential partners may look down on the party.

He said that Umno should not be afraid to be in the opposition, and belted out a motto that has become associated with PKR, "lawan tetap lawan" (keep on fighting), which was met in kind by delegates.

Shahril also said that whatever type of cooperation Umno eventually settles on, the party must not become "ultra Malay" or veer towards the far right, as youths who make up the bulk of voters today are no longer interested in racial rhetoric. - Mkini