UMNO divisions will now have to manage their finances better, as part of the changes to be made following the loss of federal power, said former Negri Sembilan menteri besar Mohamad Hasan.

He said incumbency had its advantage and sourcing funds was much easier then, but the 191 division’s chiefs would now have to run a tight ship.

“The amount is not much. It’s only RM5,000 a month,” said Hasan following Umno headquarters’ decision to cut monthly aid to the 191 divisions

He said that there was however too much fuss on the ground, and that the grassroots were too “pampered”.

“It is like having a fatty liver. We need to trim down the fat. We should not make a big issue over RM5,000, as we know the divisions sometimes spend more,” said Hasan when met at the Putra World Trade Centre today.

He said the cut would save Umno headquarters some RM955,000 a month, with a total of RM11.5 million a year.

Hasan, who won the Rantau state seat unopposed in the 14th general elections, will be contesting for the Umno deputy president post against Hishammuddin Hussein in the Umno party elections at the end of this month.

Hasan said that Umno, as an opposition party, had to take a second look at its finances.

“As an opposition, we do not have to operate from this building, as we no longer have the income. Our operations do not have to be top heavy, but effective on the ground and the grassroots level. We can operate from a much smaller building,” Hasan said.

Hasan was one of the state assemblymen who turned up at the Umno headquarters today along with others who had won the state seats in the elections to meet with Ahmad Zahid Hamidi for a meet-and-greet session. – June 3, 2018.