UMNO president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi today sought to allay fears over the party’s lack of funds, saying party sympathisers would help it find its way back to black once Umno regained its strength.  

He said the party’s financial situation, which hit a rough patch after Umno’s account was frozen and some of its funds confiscated as part of an ongoing probe into the 1Malaysia Development Bhd scandal, would return to normal once Umno climbs its way back to power. 

“I have said everything needs money but money is not everything. There are still many out there who are sympathetic to Umno’s present hardship. InsyaAllah, they will come to our aid,” he said when officiating the Sabah Umno Zone 4’s annual general meeting in Keningau today.

Sabah Umno Zone 4 comprises delegations from four divisions – Keningau, Tenom, Ranau and Pensiangan.

Zahid, who had previously said Umno would look into raising funds through crowdfunding, said currently, these sympathetic individuals feared coming forward to help Umno. 

“Now, they don’t want to help us because they fear they might be victimised for being Umno sympathisers. But, if they see that we are strong and are able to recapture Putrajaya and Sabah, I am confident they will not hesitate to come our aid,” he said. 

Earlier, Zahid said Umno in the peninsula would never sideline Sabah Umno, stressing they would come to the state chapter’s aid in terms of funding election candidates in the next general election, even with the lack of funds.

He recalled former Sabah Umno liaison chief Hajiji Mohd Noor – who he called a “bacteria” for jumping ship to Bersatu recently – handing him a memorandum for Umno Malaysia to give the state Umno autonomy.

“I have, in principle, agreed to Sabah Umno’s request. This November, when the party holds its annual general meeting, we will endorse or formalise the memorandum.

“We want Sabah Umno to have autonomy so that it can have the power to make its own decisions, including the authority to choose its own candidates,” said Zahid. – July 30, 2019.