Penang UMNO has asked the state DAP leadership to disclose the sources of the party's funds to avoid any confusion over where the money comes from.

Its chairman, Datuk Seri Zainal Abidin Osman, said political funding was a highly sensitive issue and, as such, the DAP leaders should be transparent in revealing the sources of revenue to finance their political activities.

He said Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said yesterday that unless illegal gambling was totally wiped out, it was feared that syndicates might use their gains to fund political parties, especially during the general election.

Leaders of the Penang government should respond to that statement for the people to better understand it, he said to reporters after the launch of the Penang Bumiputera Strategic Development Plan here on Wednesday.

Zainal Abidin alleged that the DAP-led Penang government was often seen hosting dinners on a large scale with huge financial allocations and involving many invitations. - BERNAMA