Low-key Umno general assembly a sight for sore eyes

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 28 – There is a feeling of welcome relief and freshness in the air in downtown Kuala Lumpur this week, with the Umno General Assembly being held without fanfare and with the minimum of fuss.

Driving around the city centre, the ugliness of banners promoting the annual meeting on every lamp post within a 5km radius of Umno’s headquarters, the Putra World Trade Centre, as was the case in past years, is now no more.

All these years, there had been a feeling of disgust among many voters in the federal capital, knowing that the funds for all this excess came from taxpayers and was likely siphoned into Umno’s coffers for their personal use.

This makes the decision not to air the Umno general assembly live on RTM a welcome relief too, as that too was a great waste of time and federal funds all these years for a party event.

No more cash, no more king

There is no surprise as to why nothing is being held on a grand scale as well – Umno is fast running out of cash. Having been part of the “cash is king” culture set by their former president, Datuk Seri Najib Razak, their fall from the throne of leadership in the country is a lesson for all.

But of course, there are some arrogant Umno leaders and their sycophants who continue to hold to the claim that most of their funds are what the police had seized from Najib’s house and other residences belonging to his friends and family.

There was about RM116 million seized in cash, comprising different currencies. Yet Umno had proudly claimed that it was all the balance of the party’s funds obtained for use during the 14th general election.

An Umno leader was also said to have made a report claiming the party actually had RM160 million stashed away under Najib’s care, and it therefore had a right for the such funds to be returned by the police.

RPK’s RM40 million stolen by police claim slammed

This was then picked up by self-exiled blogger Raja Petra Kamaruddin, with the claim that the police had stolen over RM40 million of the cash and declared only RM116 million was seized.

Naturally, the top cop behind the raid and seizure of cash, jewellery, luxury handbags and other items from Najib and his wife Rosmah Mansor, denied any such claim by RPK, challenging the blogger to return to Malaysia and make a report on his allegations.

Commercial Crime Investigation Department (CCID) director Datuk Seri Amar Singh added that the Umno report on the amount it claimed belonged to the party, did not come with any documentation to support its claims.

Under the circumstances, then the police report made to claim the money is false. Shouldn’t there be any action taken against whoever made the claim as it cannot be backed and also seriously plants doubts as to the integrity of the police force?

– NMT