KUALA LUMPUR – Perikatan Nasional (PN) will not be disclosing its political funding for the 15th general election (GE15), said Bersatu Youth chief Wan Ahmad Fayhsal Wan Ahmad Kamal.
The Machang MP said the coalition led by Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin will not be revealing its financial backing as it is not the norm for political parties to publicly declare their funding.
He added, however, that PN is ready to debate the political funding bill which was scheduled to be tabled in the Dewan Rakyat in October but was put off due to Parliament dissolution on October 10.
“If that (the political funding bill) is the priority, then so be it,” he was quoted as saying by Free Malaysia Today after lodging a police report against Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim at the Dang Wangi district police headquarters today.
The police report was filed against the Pakatan Harapan (PH) leader for implying on Monday that PN component parties Bersatu and PAS’ election funds partly came from companies involved in special draws.
On the same day, Anwar also announced the government’s decision to reduce the frequency of special draws to only eight a year from 22 previously.
Wan Fayhsal, who secured the Machang federal seat under the PAS banner in GE15, also criticised Anwar for attempting to cultivate a negative image of PN amid the elections for the Padang Serai constituency and the Tioman state seat.
Voters in both areas head to the polls today after voting was deferred due to the candidates’ deaths during GE15.
Defending PN’s decision to lodge a police report, Wan Fayhsal said that the initiative proves that the coalition is taking the prime minister’s allegations seriously and has nothing to conceal from authorities.
Yesterday, PAS secretary-general Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan described the accusations as baseless and called on Anwar to present clear evidence over the “wild allegations”.
He added that if the prime minister fails to do so, PN will consider taking action against parties which have slandered the coalition. – The Vibes, December 7, 2022
