Political funding Act 'should have been tabled sooner', says ex-MACC chief.
Athira Aminuddin19 Apr 2022 09:05am
Ex-top graft buster Tan Sri Dzulkifli Ahmad said Putrajaya is wiser in choosing the right time to table Political Funding Act.
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SHAH ALAM - Ex-top graft buster Tan Sri Dzulkifli Ahmad said the Political Funding Act to differentiate political funds from graft "should have been tabled sooner", this comes as the nation gears for the 15th General Elections speculated to be held this year.
However, he said Putrajaya is wiser in choosing the right time to table the Act.
"I believe the government is wise enough to table the Political Funding Act at the right time," he told Sinar Daily.
Last month, Umno Youth urged Putrajaya to table Political Funding Act immediately to ensure that parties report financial funds to prevent elements of corruption or abuse of power.
Last year, Umno secretary-general Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan had also said the government needs to enact a law to regulate funds for political parties to know the origin of the funds.
His remarks were in response to news reports on Court of Appeal judgment on the high-profile RM192.9 million forfeiture case linked to the 1MDB financial scandal that the public prosecutor sought against Umno, Wanita MCA and seven others.
The Pakatan Harapan government had tried to introduce a similar Bill before its collapse in February 2020.
In October 2019, then law minister Datuk Liew Vui Keong said the Political Funding Bill would be tabled in Parliament in 2020, pending feedback and suggestions from the ministries.
Liew had said the Bill would focus on the regulatory aspect of political contributions, which is fundamental in efforts to eliminate corruption and create a corruption-free ecosystem among future generations based on the principles of transparency, accountability and integrity.
