KUALA LUMPUR: There are no issues with expediting the proposed Political Financing Bill, which is currently under review by the relevant bi-partisan Parliamentary Special Select Committee (PSSC), says Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
The Prime Minister said he has no objection to expediting the Bill, adding that in fact, the Cabinet has already agreed to table it.
“But there must be a clear perimeter in place, which is still under discussion by the parliamentary committee,” Anwar said during the Minister’s Question Time session in the Dewan Rakyat yesterday.
He was responding to a supplementary question from Datuk Awang Hashim (PN-Pendang) regarding the progress of the political funding law and allowances for Opposition MPs.
On Oct 15, Anwar mentioned that the policy and scope of the proposed political funding law had not yet been finalised, as the matter was still being scrutinised by the PSSC.
On Sept 8 last year, Anwar said the Cabinet had agreed that the scope of the proposed law be referred to the PSSC in charge of human rights, elections and institutional reforms.
He added that the Cabinet decided to avoid pushing the law through Parliament to ensure it is fine-tuned and does not lead to negative implications.
The initial proposal was submitted to the PSSC on Nov 9 based on a draft political funding law prepared by the former National Centre for Governance, Integrity and Anti-Corruption (GIACC).
Following its restructuring, the GIACC now operates as a division under the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission.
A proposal for a law on political funding was mooted in 2015 and gained traction following the 1Malaysia Development Berhad scandal.
In 2022, there were plans to fast-track the tabling of a Political Funding Bill in Parliament, which was supposed to be drafted by the GIACC.
However, the GIACC was disbanded following the change of administration in late 2022.
