DPM: Every one must be transparent over political funding

PONTIAN: There must be extensive guidelines to ensure transparency of political funding among political parties, says Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

“This is so that they reveal their financial sources. Every one has to be transparent,” he said.

The National Consultative Committee on Political Financing, chaired by Datuk Paul Low, announced a 32-point recommendation on Friday. Among others, the panel members suggested that politicians be banned from accepting foreign donations.

All donations should also be kept in a designated bank account.

Yesterday, Dr Ahmad Zahid said Barisan Nasional had, in principle, agreed to the plan and that the Opposition should accept it, too.

“It is unfair if (the new law) is imposed only on the ruling party,” he said after opening the Tanjung Piai Umno divisional meeting.

Dr Ahmad Zahid said matters related to the proposed law could be further debated by both sides.

Earlier in his speech, he said Umno would continue to work closely with other Barisan component parties to ensure the coalition would remain in power after the next general election.

Umno, he said, could not afford to work alone.

“It still needs the cooperation from other Barisan parties,” he said.

Referring to suggestions by some Umno leaders that the party field Malay candidates in Malay-majority parliamentary and state seats in the next general election, he said: “We need to continue engaging with MCA, MIC and Gerakan. We are like siblings sleeping under the same mosquito net.”

He advised Umno leaders to see beyond their scope, adding that they should look at the present formula of seat allocations practised by Barisan, which had proven effective for the coalition.