Do not wait too long to implement the Political Funding Act

SHAH ALAM - The government should look into implementing the Political Funding Act as soon as possible as it represents a new start to improve the political landscape of the country.

Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs (Ideas) chief executive officer (CEO) Tricia Yeoh said this is to ensure a clean and transparent democratic system.

She said the existence of the act could enable the financial sources or funds obtained by political parties to be monitored.

Tricia said Malaysia’s corruption elements usually start from political funding and it can be stopped if there were laws regarding the matter.

“Among the key principles in drafting the new laws is first, the need for transparency and secondly this will reduce the political parties dependence on other sectors.

“The government should establish an independent commission to regulate political funding and introduce a special or maximum amount that could be received from certain individuals or companies,” she said in her speech at the Rasuah Busters Notes to PMX programme aired live on Sinar Harian’s Facebook and Astro Awani on Wednesday.

She said it is hoped that the government would not wait 13 more years to implement the laws.

“We can see now revelations after revelations about the use of money in politics and how it should be taken seriously by all parties.

“The country’s funds should be used efficiently, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has always emphasised in every speech he has made that there should not be any leaks of national funds,” she said.

Other panellists in the programme were Sinar for Malaysia Foundation #RasuahBusters CEO Nurhayati Nordin, former Cabinet minister Tan Sri Syed Hamid Albar, Transparency International Malaysia (TI-M) Exco Alan Kirupakaran, former bar council president Christopher Leong, C4 Centre founder and executive director Cynthia Gabriel and Rasuah Busters team chief Datuk Hussamuddin Yaacub.