UMNO’S Supreme Council should declare whether the millions in cash seized by police in raids on premises linked to Najib Razak belongs to the party, veteran DAP leader Lim Kit Siang said.

To date, the party’s leadership has been silent on the matter following a claim issued three days ago by an entity calling itself the Umno Strategic Communications Unit.

Lim questioned if the unit was genuine as it had never been heard of before. While Barisan Nasional was in power, the only known strategic communications voice had been former Umno minister Abdul Rahman Dahlan who has headed such a unit for the Barisan Nasional coalition.

“The time has come for the Umno Supreme Council to hold an emergency meeting to decide whether it is officially laying claim to the seized assets at Pavilion Residences. 

“(Is the) Umno Strategic Communications Unit authorised to speak on behalf of Umno in laying claim to the seized assets?” Lim, the Iskandar Puteri MP, said in a statement today.  

Police recently announced the seizure of RM114 million in 26 currencies from a condo unit linked to Najib at Pavilion Residences. The former prime minister is being investigated for money laundering in connection with scandals involving 1Malaysia Development Bhd.

Lim said there were consequences if the Umno Supreme Council were to support the claim to the funds.

It would have to answer why party funds were kept in suitcases and stored in a condo, and not kept by the party treasurer in a bank account.

It would also have to answer the origins of the cash, why it was kept in different currencies and what it was intended for.

“Why was the cash not maintained in a safe under the control of the party treasurer? Why did Umno only now claim ownership? Why did they not come forward at time of the seizure to stake their claim and make full disclosure of the amount?” said Lim.

The statement issued by the Umno Strategic Communications Unit laying claim to the money said the funds were needed by the party to rebuild itself following its defeat in GE14.

The statement had requested police to release the funds to the party after investigations were completed.

Police, however, have said investigations had to be done to determine who the money belonged to. – May 27, 2018.