KUALA LUMPUR — After finding its accounts frozen, Umno will launch a crowdfunding initiative to raise funds for its political activities, said Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi. 

Mr Zahid said that this is the first time such an initiative is being taken by the party and expressed confidence that many sympathisers will contribute.

“We hope that many will come forward and sympathise with the party so that we can finance our activities,” he said, after chairing the Umno Supreme Council meeting at the party’s headquarters in Kuala Lumpur on Wednesday (July 24).

He said funds had to be raised as part of its preparation for the 15th general election.

Mr Zahid said Umno’s funds have been frozen and seized by the Pakatan Harapan government and this left the party with little choice but to turn to crowdfunding. 

“Because of the freezing and seizure of Umno’s assets, which was done outside the ambit of the law, this is why we are starting the fund.

“We plan to raise as much as we can,” he said. 

He said the drive will be monitored by Umno and an external body. 

“This is done to ensure that no illicit funds enter the account,” he said. 

He said most of the money will be used for Umno’s administration, political activities and most importantly, GE15.

Mr Zahid also said Umno would not set a target for the funds, but they will try to collect as much as they can.

Meanwhile, the Umno president said an important announcement on the Umno-PAS political pact will be made on Thursday.

Under the agreement, both parties will not contest against each other in state and Parliament seats, paving the way for straight fights between Pakatan Harapan and either of the two parties in Malay-majority seats in the next general election.

On Sunday, PAS deputy president Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man was reported as saying that the agreement between the two parties, which he described as a charter, would also involve several other groups, including civil societies.

He said some PAS officials, who were part of a joint PAS-Umno committee to discuss the pact, had to be replaced after they were voted to other positions in PAS during the party’s internal polls in June. THE MALAYSIAN INSIGHT