KUALA LUMPUR – Legislation on political funding is stuck at the parliamentary special committee discussion stage, Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission chief Datuk Seri Azam Baki told Mingguan Malaysia.
He urged the government to expedite the implementation of the law, as per the recommendation of graft watchdog Transparency International (TI).
“It would be nice if there was a commitment to speed up the legislation this year. It can be enforced if they want to, because political parties that receive contributions need to be clear and have integrity.”
The legislation was enacted in a bid to quash corruption.
While each party needs funding to operate, it is not obligated to reveal the source of the monies or donors’ identity.
Malaysia dropped six spots to 57 out of 180 countries in TI’s 2020 Corruption Perception Index.
TI-Malaysia president Muhammad Mohan, after the ranking announcement, suggested the enactment of a law on political financing, so as to curb money politics and restore democracy.
In 2019, it was reported that the political funding bill was expected to be tabled in Parliament last year.
The bill would focus on the regulatory aspect of political contributions, which is fundamental in efforts to eliminate corruption. – The Vibes, February 28, 2021
