Police: No one from Umno came to claim RM116.7mil

KUALA LUMPUR: Umno will let the rule of law take its course on police investigations into the money found at the residences of Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, which it claims belongs to the party.

“We will let the rule of law take its course,” said Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi when asked if Umno would make a claim for the RM116.7mil seized from properties belonging to the ex-prime minister.

His comments were echoed by Gua Musang Umno MP Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah and Umno presidential candidate Khairy Jamaluddin, with both saying that no one should pre-empt the police investigation by issuing public statements.

Bukit Aman Commercial Crime Investigation Department director Comm Datuk Seri Amar Singh said no one from Umno had come forward to claim the cash, found in 26 denominations and seized from residences and premises linked to Najib.

He said the police had to record the statements of Umno representatives if the party wanted to prove the validity of its claim.

“However, nobody has come forward,” he told a press conference at the CCID headquarters yesterday.

Last month, the Umno communications team said the party was seeking to recover funds it claimed were for transfer to the party’s acting leadership following Najib’s resignation as Umno president.

It said the party constitution allowed for its president to source and manage party funds, including for the general elections.

“This was no different from our former president Najib, who sourced for campaign contributions prior to the 14th General Election and was managing our party’s funds.

“However, the remainder of these funds were seized by the police after Najib stepped down as Umno and Barisan Nasional president and before they could be transferred to the current acting leadership,” it said in a statement.

The team said when Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad stepped down as Umno president, he had also handed back RM1.2bil to the party.

Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Mohamad Fuzi Harun reportedly said Umno should go through the proper channels to recover the funds.

Meanwhile, Dr Ahmad Zahid, who is Umno vice-president carrying out the duties of the president, said the party had reinstated its monthly allocations for its divisions and wings that were halted in May.

The order to continue the funding would take immediate effect as the party realised that many of the party divisions and wings at the grassroots level could not carry out their functions without funds.

He was speaking to reporters at the Sabah Umno Hari Raya gathering in Kota Kinabalu yesterday.