Former Umno president Dr Mahathir Mohamad today said he released his trustee responsibilities over a 9,723 sq m plot of land in Kuala Lumpur to Umno in 2015.

In a statement on X, the former prime minister said Umno’s filing of an originating summons seeking a court declaration to transfer ownership of the land to the party did not involve him. The Seri Pacific Hotel is located on the land.

Mahathir also said the originating summons filed by Umno’s executive secretary Sumali Reduan on March 6 had named the federal territories land and mines department as the defendant – and not him.

“In the supporting affidavit to the suit filed by Umno, it is stated that there was a statutory declaration signed by all four trustees, including myself, in the application dated Oct 27, 2015, for permission to transfer the ownership of the land.

“Subsequently, on Dec 28, 2015, the federal territories land and mines department stated that the federal territories land working committee had approved the transfer of ownership from the trustees to Umno.

“However, the transfer process was stalled in May 2017 because the name on the land’s grant did not match the names on the identification cards.

“So clearly, there is no issue of me refusing to relinquish Umno’s assets as I had already signed the declaration of consent back in 2015.”

Last Friday, Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said Umno was getting the trustees of its properties to relinquish their responsibilities if they were no longer with the party.

He said one individual, whom he did not name, had not signed documents to release his trustee responsibilities over party assets, while the others had done so.

The parcel of land, Grant 78154, Lot 40, Section 51, Kuala Lumpur, is currently registered under the names of four trustees – Mahathir, Musa Hitam, the late Daim Zainuddin, and the late Sanusi Junid – pursuant to Clause 27.1 of its constitution and Section 9 of the Societies Act 1966.