GOVT URGED TO SPEED UP POLITICAL FINANCING ACT

KUALA LUMPUR, April 1 (Bernama) -- The government has been urged to fast-track the gazetting and implementation of the Political Financing Act to strengthen integrity and tackle increasingly complex corruption.

Malaysian Corruption Watch president Jais Abdul Karim said the move is crucial because corruption is no longer straightforward and has become harder to detect with advances in technology and the digital world.

“Corruption has become increasingly complex. I would liken it to stage-four cancer, which is considered hopeless in medicine, yet I still hope this issue can be tackled, including through the implementation of this act,” he said on Bernama TV’s Ruang Bicara tonight.

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Also on the programme was Young Syefura Othman, a member of the Special Committee on Corruption (JKMR).

Jais said political financing laws should be expedited, citing positive results from other countries.

He said the act should also be implemented urgently, as it is part of the government’s manifesto, urging MPs to support the move in the interests of the people and the country.

Meanwhile, Young Syefura, the MP for Bentong, said the government is committed to enacting new laws on corruption and integrity as part of its institutional reform agenda.

“I also believe that this political financing bill will be tabled in Parliament in due course,” she added.

Wanita UMNO chief Datuk Seri Dr Noraini Ahmad had expressed hope that the party would lead the way in pushing for the act to safeguard Malaysia’s democracy, adding that the act would ensure all financial contributions to parties are clearly recorded, transparently disclosed, and donors’ identities known, helping to prevent any false allegations.

-- BERNAMA