EX-PARTY MEMBERS SHOULD RELINQUISH TRUSTEE ROLES, SAYS AHMAD ZAHID 

KUANTAN, April 11 (Bernama) -- Individuals who are no longer involved with a party should relinquish their responsibilities as trustees of any organisation, said Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

Ahmad Zahid, who is also UMNO president, said the transfer of trust ownership should take place when the individual is no longer in the party or holding any position in government.

“When someone no longer holds a position in any organisation, especially a political organisation that entrusted them to be a trustee, they should relinquish that responsibility,” he told a press conference after launching the Pahang Rail Academy at Yayasan Pahang here today.

He was commenting on UMNO’s move to file an originating summons seeking a court declaration to transfer ownership of a 9,723-square-metre parcel of land in the federal capital to the party.

Without disclosing any names, he also informed that there is still one individual who has not signed the documents to release their trustee responsibilities over party assets, while the others have already done so.

UMNO is seeking an order for the transfer of ownership of Grant 78154, Lot 40, Section 51, Kuala Lumpur, currently registered under the names of the trustees, the late Tun Daim Zainuddin, Tun Musa Hitam, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and the late Tan Sri Sanusi Junid to the party, pursuant to Clause 27.1 of the United Malays National Organisation Constitution and Section 9 of the Societies Act 1966.

Ahmad Zahid said UMNO had taken this step a long time ago, and it is only now gaining media attention.

“It’s been a while. It’s just that the issue was raised today, so I have to respond,” he said when asked why UMNO was only now taking legal action.

Commenting on a claim by Terengganu Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar that he had been flagged under the 'Travel Control Office/Order' (TCO) status in the border control system by authorities, Ahmad Zahid said it could be an attempt to gain sympathy.

The Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman said Ahmad Samsuri’s statement came just ahead of the Ayer Kuning state by-election campaign, which starts tomorrow.

“The Home Minister (Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail) has already said there’s no such (TCO) status… maybe it’s just to seek sympathy because of the Ayer Kuning by-election,” he said.

Polling for Ayer Kuning is set for April 26. It was called following the death of incumbent Ishsam Shahruddin, 58, who died of a heart attack on Feb 22.

-- BERNAMA