Funds taken but Bersatu marches on

PETALING JAYA: Although the party’s accounts have been seized by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), Bersatu leaders are confident that their election machinery will still run smoothly in the upcoming state elections.

Bersatu had already learnt from the 14th General Election (GE14) when it was slapped with a temporary dissolution order for 30 days – just a month before the May 9, 2018 polling date, said party’s information chief Datuk Razali Idris.

“This time, it’s also the same. In fact, I have seen support increase when we are pressed in so many ways and accused of many things,” he said.

“We just want to ask why only Bersatu is being investigated for the inflow of funds but not other parties, especially those in the government. What is the source of their funds?”

With the accounts frozen, he said the party’s divisions have embarked on their own fund-raising operations to carry out their activities.

“There are some collecting donations and doing fundraising,” he said. “We have been able to operate as usual. Not even one division has been closed due to the financial crisis.”

Supreme council member Dr Muhammad Faiz Na’aman said Bersatu will take all the necessary legal steps over the seized accounts.

“The courts should decide whether the action taken by MACC is legitimate and just or not.

“Please be fair. Political funding is not illegal in our country (as yet), and there’s no evidence whatsoever that (party president) Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin ordered contractors or funders to give donations to our party.

“The seizure of the accounts could affect our campaign in the upcoming six state elections, but it will not deter or hamper us. We also have a lot of volunteers,” he added.

He said that although the seized accounts held the party’s “main means of funds”, there are still other ways to fund the campaign.

The MACC said on Thursday that the two bank accounts belonging to Bersatu, which had been frozen in January, have now been seized by the MACC.

“Previously, these accounts were frozen on Jan 12 and 13 to assist in investigations into money suspected of being obtained from illegal proceeds,” the anti-graft body said.

It said the accounts were seized outright on April 11 after it submitted an order to the banks in accordance with Section 50 of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 200 (AMLATFPUAA 2001).

In March, Bersatu filed an application for a judicial review to challenge the MACC’s move to freeze the accounts.

On March 13, Muhyiddin was charged with multiple counts of money laundering and graft, as well as four counts of abuse of power involving RM232.5mil and two counts of money laundering involving RM195mil.