Political Funding Bill Still Under Review, Requires Consensus From All Parties
Azalina Says Further Studies Needed Before Law Can Be Finalised
MELAKA — The proposed Political Funding Bill remains under review and will require the agreement of all political parties before any final decision can be made.
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Azalina Othman Said said such consensus is important because all political parties would eventually be bound by the provisions of the law once it is enforced.
According to her, the Legal Affairs Division (BHEUU) continues to conduct studies on political funding to ensure that any proposed legislation can be implemented effectively and comprehensively.
“Political funding is still in process and continuously being studied by the legal affairs division. However, the final decision depends on all political parties because they will be the users of the law,” she said.
She said this after attending the signing ceremony of a memorandum of understanding between Multimedia University (MMU) and BHEUU in Bukit Beruang, Melaka today.
According to Azalina Othman Said, political funding is not a new issue as several political parties had previously discussed the matter, including during the 15th General Election (GE15).
She added that discussions regarding political funding have also frequently taken place within United Malays National Organisation (UMNO).
However, she explained that the proposal has yet to reach the finalisation stage under BHEUU.
When asked whether the Political Funding Bill could be tabled before the 16th General Election, Azalina said she could not provide any certainty at this stage.
“Before the next general election? I honestly do not know and it is difficult for me to comment on that,” she said.
According to her, the government is currently also focusing on several other legal reform initiatives considered equally important.
Among the reforms being prioritised are the Legal Aid and Public Defence Act 2026 as well as the proposed Freedom of Information (FOI) Act.
Political observers view efforts to draft a political funding law as an important step towards improving transparency and integrity within the country’s political system.
The proposal has long been raised by various parties to ensure that political financing sources can be monitored more transparently and systematically.
However, implementing such legislation would require broad political consensus because it directly affects the funding structures and operations of political parties.
-wilayah.com.my
