KUALA LUMPUR, July 1 — Umno has appealed to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) for some leeway in releasing funds from its frozen bank accounts, president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said today.
“An appeal letter was signed and sent, to ask for some leeway to be given, to allow some of the funds from the main account be released to be used to pay salaries, rental and overhead expenditures,” said Zahid during a press conference today.
“We also want to make sure the full time and salaried staff are not mistreated,” added the newly elected Umno president.
Zahid was asked about the status of the party’s accounts after they were frozen by MACC last week as part of investigations into the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) scandal.
He said he hoped the MACC would find a way to utilise existing laws to allow them the leeway to cover Umno’s operation costs.
“The staff have families, and surely the MACC will be able to find a way to allow for it,” he said.
When pressed if funds from 1MDB were ever deposited into Umno’s bank accounts, Zahid remained tight-lipped.
“That we will hand over to the MACC to investigate and find out, and I am sure they too will be transparent,” he said.
A news report claimed the freezing of the bank accounts was linked to an alleged transfer of some RM600 million from 1MDB into the party’s accounts.
It was reported that investigators are looking to prove a link between the money to 1MDB, while authorities attempt to retrieve the remaining funds.
On Friday, the MACC froze some 900 bank accounts linked to the 1MDB scandal, one of which is said to include the account of a prominent lawyer.
