‘Find ways to cut party management costs’
SEREMBAN: Umno should find ways to reduce the party’s management costs, including relocating its headquarters from the Putra World Trade Centre (PWTC) in Kuala Lumpur.
Negri Sembilan Umno liaison committee chairman Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan, who contested the party deputy president’s post, said this at the launch of the Rembau Umno division delegates’ meeting here yesterday.
“We need to study whether there is a need for our headquarters to be in PWTC, or whether we can move to another location, where the cost is lower,” he said.
“We must accept that we were defeated and should not continue to be like how we used to.
“Umno’s priority is to ensure its management costs are not too high.
“Just like a tree, we do not have to appear superior and glamorous, when the roots are infected by pests. We have to change and I will make a drastic change to Umno if I am chosen. The world is changing rapidly. If we are still living the way we used to, we will become irrelevant.”
Asked to comment on the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission’s move to freeze central, Selangor and Johor Umno’s bank accounts, Mohamad said the new party leadership must approach the commission to allow an exception to be made with regard to the payment of staff salaries.
He said Negri Sembilan Umno’s bank account was not affected as no special provision was granted by the former party president.
“It is learnt that (the freezing of accounts) is related to the commission’s investigations into the 1Malaysia Development Bhd scandal.
“We did not get any provision, although I had requested for it. I was furious at the time (over not getting the provision), but thank God.”
Mohamad said he wanted the new leadership to focus on the transparency of party’s accounts and assets, which were previously only known to top leaders, including the party president, deputies and treasurer.