‘I want to know their reasons’
Ku Li to get answers on why component parties quit Barisan
SEREMBAN: Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah will make a “courtesy call” on leaders of former Barisan Nasional component parties if elected Umno president this Saturday, to know their reasons for quitting the coalition.
“Even before a marriage ends in divorce, there are discussions. You cannot just pack up and leave without giving a proper reason for doing so,” said the Gua Musang MP at a press conference organised by the Negri Sembilan Umno yesterday.
Eleven of 14 Barisan component parties have left the coalition post the May 9 polls. It is now only left with the three original founding members – Umno, MCA and MIC.
Razaleigh will be involved in a five-cornered fight for the top post.
The other candidates are acting Umno president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi; former Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin, Bandar Tun Razak committee member Mohamed Iqbal Maricair and Iskandar Puteri member Mohd Yusof Musa @ Jamaluddin.
On a separate matter, the 81-yearold party veteran said Umno had assets worth billions of ringgit which should be enough to fund its activities at all levels.
It was strange, he added, that despite being asset rich, the divisions were told to look for their own source of funding after Barisan lost in the May 9 general election.
He was responding to a query from the floor as to why the party which was supposedly financially sound had issued a letter to all divi- sions directing them to seek their own funding.
In a letter dated May 22, party secretary- general Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor said after looking at its finances, the party decided to stop providing monthly allocations to all divisions and wings.
Razaleigh said when he was the party treasurer, Umno acquired prime properties in places like Bangsar as well as shares in companies.
“These properties may still be under the names of trustees who were former principal office bearers.
“If there is a need, we can today dispose some of these assets and make handsome returns,” Razaleigh said, adding that there was an urgent need for the party to list its properties for transparency purposes.
In Kota Baru, Razaleigh said the survival of Umno was in the hands of the delegates, and it was impor- tant to vote in office bearers who were free of credibility issues, otherwise it would be tough restoring the party to its former glory.
On Sunday night, during a friendly gathering, Razaleigh said he was aiming to helm Umno only for one term.
“Give me three years and I will try my best to revive Umno, help regain momentum, and subsequently wrest control of federal powers again (in the next general election),” said Razaleigh.