Umno to set up special fund to cover GE15 expenses

Umno will turn to crowdfunding in the run-up to the 15th general election with the establishment of a special fund to cover party expenses.

Party president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said today that this fund will be managed by a professional body.

"The Umno supreme council has decided to set up a fund through the initial process of crowdfunding, for the purpose of financing Umno's activities and ensuring its survival in the near future.

"This has to be done due to unfair legal action taken against the party.

"With accusations that extend beyond the legal norms, we feel that the fund should be open not only to Umno leaders and members, but also the many who sympathise with the party," he said.

Zahid was speaking at a press conference held after an Umno supreme council meeting at the Putra World Trade Centre.

On June 28 last year, the 1MDB taskforce confirmed that it had frozen a number of accounts belonging to Umno to facilitate investigations into alleged misappropriation of funds.

Two days later, the party filed an application to the MACC for some of the accounts to be unfrozen for administrative and payroll purposes.

[More to follow] - Mkini