Law on political funds must be in place before GE14

This will enable MACC to disclose the source or contributor of political funds and the amount contributed, says Umno Supreme Council member.

PUTRAJAYA: The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has been urged to expedite efforts to introduce a law for parties to declare political funding.

Umno Supreme Council member Ismail Sabri Yaakob said if possible, it should be carried out before the 14th general election to enable the commission to investigate political parties which received funds from various quarters.

A special law is needed to enable MACC to disclose the source or contributor of political funds and amount contributed, he added.

Ismail, who is Rural and Regional Development Minister, said the formulation of such a law had been proposed under the National Key Result Areas (NKRA), but was opposed by the opposition.

“At that time the opposition opposed it because they did not want the government to know where they got their political funds from.

“MACC should speed up efforts to introduce the law, whether by amending the MACC Act or the Election Act, so that it can be enforced before the next general election,” he told reporters at the ministry’s Hari Raya celebration here today.

Yesterday, MACC Community Education Division director Shamshun Baharin Mohd Jamil suggested the formulation of a law on political funding to enable the agency to disclose details of political donors.

– BERNAMA