RM114 million seized from Pavilion Residences were for GE14, says Shahrir

Updated 5 years ago · Published on 4 Jun 2018 10:15PM · 9 Comments

Shahrir Samad says for practical reasons, Umno keeps vast sums as cash during the elections. – The Malaysian Insight file pic, June 4, 2018.

THE huge amount of cash found in condo units linked to Najib Razak at Pavilion Residences were needed for the general election, said former Johor Baru MP Shahrir Samad.

He told a press conference today that cash was needed “to keep the election machinery running”, Malaysiakini reported him saying.

“If you need extra funds for the election, you give a cheque, it will be too late. This was for practical reasons.

“People ask, ‘Why do you need cash?’ This is because not all (Umno) constituencies have bank (accounts).

“Those who criticised sometimes do the same thing, too,” he also said.

Shahrir also claimed the money seized when police raided Pavilion Residences was the balance of Umno’s election fund.

Police raids at three units in the luxury condominium in Kuala Lumpur were done about a week after the May 9 elections when Barisan Nasional lost federal power. Najib then resigned as BN chairman and as Umno president.

The raids were part of investigations into Najib and his alleged involvement in 1Malaysia Development Berhad under the anti-money laundering laws.

Besides 284 boxes of luxury handbags, police also seized 72 bags, of which 35 were filled with cash in 26 currencies amounting to RM114 million.

The Umno Strategic Communications Unit claimed that the cash belonged to the party. Police have said that investigations first must be done to determine who owned the money. – June 4, 2018.

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Comments

  • Election funds in 26 different currencies in 35 different bags, at least some of the were in women handbags. Oh Sharir, how far the angels have fallen from their lofty perch to become Lucifer...

    Posted 5 years ago by Bigjoe Lam · Reply

    • Which constituencies need foreign currencies as expenditure?

      Posted 5 years ago by Malaysian First · Reply

  • Shahrir, it's people like you caused the downfall of Najib. It looks like you have never learn from the election n your loss. You still treat the rakyat as fools; n you make yourself a fool. You are still trying to tell us that it's ok for Najib to keep this kind of enormous amount of cash at home. You are still defending him instead of the rakyat. What a shame you have made yourself to be, yet you still unaware

    Posted 5 years ago by Peace Maker · Reply

  • Is it pertinent to ask what was the source and accounting trail of this money?..

    Posted 5 years ago by MELVILLE JAYATHISSA · Reply

  • what is the permitted electoral spending per constituency
    how many constituency without bank accounts
    why was there such large balances after the ge
    from which bank ac was the money drawn out from
    the more question asked the more illogical sharir response is
    bnm would know if such large withdrawal of cash was made from which ac
    since large withdrawal requires advance notice

    Posted 5 years ago by Satkunabalan Sabaratnam · Reply

  • Are you taking us for fools? Don't tell me every state UMNO doesn't have a bank account? Money can be TT and withdraw from there. Even then, if the the money was found in UMNO HQ, its more believable, but in Pavilion Residences ???

    Posted 5 years ago by Malaysian First · Reply

  • Sharir , if I were you I will stay dumb and pretend to look intelligent. At least that will still salvage whatever that is left of you from the soiled Umno but I sincerely doubt so as you have already made a trip to the cess pool. Well since you like to wallow into it, you have just been served with a 100kk legality suit in regards to the Felda land scandals.

    Posted 5 years ago by Lee Lee · Reply

  • One of the problem with umno leaders is that they love to insult our intelligence. Here is a blatant example of insult from sharir.

    Posted 5 years ago by Chris Ng · Reply

  • Can someone report him to the police and let the new AG whether to charge for false claim of the money

    Posted 5 years ago by Peter Poh · Reply