Wee calls for all public donations to be investigated, not just Najib solidarity fund

TANGGA BATU – All funds collected from the public, including those organised by political party leaders, should be subject to investigation rather than focusing solely on the RM50 million Solidarity Fund established to assist former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.

MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong said transparency and investigations must be applied fairly, without favouritism or double standards.

He said if there were calls to disclose and investigate the source of the RM50 million fund, the same approach should also be applied to other public donation drives previously organised by certain individuals or groups.

"Previously, DAP leaders who lost in petitions or court cases had also appealed to the public for donations. I understand that they also managed to reach their respective fundraising targets.

"Was the same thing done in those cases? I am merely asking, if there were leaders who previously appealed to the public for contributions after losing a case, was the same standard operating procedure (SOP) applied?

"There should be no favouritism in this matter," he said this when met at the Ceramah Perdana Gelombang Biru in Taman Rambai Murni on Monday.

Elaborating further, Wee said the authorities had the means to obtain information about the source of the funds through bank account checks, provided such action was permitted under the law.

"I believe anyone who openly collects donations is also prepared to have their accounts scrutinised by the authorities if permitted under the relevant legal provisions and if there are any suspicions.

"However, this is up to the authorities as they have the power to take such action," he said.

Meanwhile, when asked whether MCA had contributed to the fund, he said the contributions were mainly made by individuals rather than the organisation itself.

He said several individuals, including party leaders and businesspeople, had voluntarily contributed according to their respective financial capabilities, enabling the RM50 million target to be achieved.

"Before anything could even be said, some had already made contributions, but it depended on what each individual could afford.

"Some may have contributed more while others gave less, but every contribution was meaningful," he said.

Previously, Sinar Harian reported that the Najib Razak Solidarity Fund had increased from RM9.25 million to RM50 million within 40 days, raising questions about the transparency of its funding sources and the mechanisms used to monitor political donations in the country.

The increase prompted several parties to call for an investigation to ensure that the money received did not involve elements of corruption, money laundering or undisclosed interests.

Among those who raised the issue was Datuk A Kadir Jasin, who said that the collection of tens of millions of ringgit within a short period required a more detailed explanation.

He also questioned whether the substantial contributions could be linked to parties with business interests or concessions involving the government.

He urged relevant agencies, including the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), Inland Revenue Board (IRB) and Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM), to examine the flow of funds.