KUALA LUMPUR – The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission is confident that the proposed Political Funding Act (PFA) can serve as a guide for the agency to differentiate between political funds and contributions to parties or politicians that are deemed graft.
MACC chief Datuk Seri Azam Baki said the country has no specific law on political funding, but the Governance, Integrity and Anti-Corruption Centre (GIACC) has drafted one for tabling to the Special Committee on Corruption.
“GIACC has completed the draft of the law on political funding, for which I am also involved in the discussions. Certain scopes have been set, among them the need for political parties to report and declare the funds they receive from any quarters.
“Also, the setting up of a regulator or comptroller to regulate political funding for anyone in a political party,” he said in a special online interview with the media in conjunction with MACC’s 54th anniversary yesterday.
Azam said it is time for politicians to concur on the implementation of the law, such as whether there is a need to control political funding for elections, like in the US.
Politicians should support PFA as it ensures they are free of corruption and power abuse, and facilitates a transparent leadership with integrity, he said.
He said it is difficult for MACC to differentiate between political funding and bribery, but investigations are launched when there is a report on a politician receiving money in a suspect manner.
In October 2019, the late Datuk Liew Vui Keong, then a minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, said the government would table a bill on political funding, focusing on the regulatory aspects of political contributions, so as to eliminate graft.
On the proposal to establish an Anti-Corruption Services Commission, Azam said this has been submitted to the special committee.
“When we have our own service commission, we can decide on our own matters such as the recruitment and termination of staff and officers.”
At present, he said, this falls under the supervision of the Public Service Commission. – Bernama, October 2, 2021
