Place Political Funding Bill, MACC under Parliament now, PH leaders urge

SHAH ALAM - The Pakatan Harapan coalition has called on Putrajaya to immediately place the Political Funding Bill and the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission under the jurisdiction of Parliament.

In a statement issued by PH leaders it said this comes amid concerns and anger over increasing incidents of corruption in the country, referring to the latest court testimony by former chief secretary to the government and a member of the advisory board of 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) Tan Sri Mohd Sidek Hassan.

Sidek recently said he received RM30,000 a month even though no 1MDB advisory board meetings were held.

"This raises questions as he was still holding the chief secretary to the government post while receiving 1MDB-link payments," said PKR's Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim (PKR), Amanah's Mohamad Sabu, DAP's Anthony Loke Siew Fook, United Progressive Kinabalu Organisation's (UPKO) Madius Tangau.

The four PH leaders also raised concerns over Ultra Kirana Sdn Bhd (UKSB), the company that ran foreign visa system.

This comes after a UKSB director testified that former Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin was an indirect recipient of financial contributions the firm gave to the Rembau division, during the High Court hearing of Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s foreign visa system (VLN) corruption trial.

The high court was also told on May 18 UKSB was paying cash in Singapore dollars (SGD) between SGD200,000 to SGD520,000 a month on a monthly basis to former deputy prime minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi from 2014 to 2018, in relation to the Foreign Visa System (VLN) contract.

"Both of these cases are particularly troubling, not only because they involve big political figures but also key figures in the civil service," the four PH leaders said.

Due to that, they said Political Funding Bill and MACC should be placed under the jurisdiction of Parliament.

On May 19, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob had said the Special Cabinet Committee on Anti-Corruption (JKKMAR) has agreed in principle to a political funding bill. He had added that the proposal will be discussed with the Cabinet before further engagement with political parties.