The All-Party Parliamentary Group on Political Financing Bill (APPGM) has completed its final round of discussions and consultations on the Political Financing Bill. According to a statement released on Thursday (Nov 9), the group received feedback from various stakeholders, including senior party leaders, grassroots political and community leaders, and civil society organizations (CSOs) during the drafting process of the Bill.
Workshops were organized in Pahang, Johor, Sabah, Kuala Lumpur, and Malacca to gather valuable feedback from local politicians, non-governmental organizations, university students, and members of the public. The updated Bill was released on Thursday, which is an improvement from the earlier version submitted as a Private Member’s Bill on July 13, 2022.
One of the most important provisions in the Bill is the allocation of public funding to political parties. This provision aims to allocate a portion of the national budget towards political party activities. The group believes that this mechanism will promote greater equity between parties, reduce dependence on private donors, and foster healthier competition among political parties.
While acknowledging that implementing a public funding system will come with costs for the government, the group emphasized the importance of such spending for the long-term sustainability of Malaysia’s democracy. It also expressed readiness to assist and engage with the government in drafting the legislation, which will eventually be passed by Parliament as the Political Funding Act (PFA).
The APPGM reiterated its belief that a PFA is urgently needed to further advance Malaysia’s journey towards a more competitive and sustainable democracy. Among the key recommendations of the APPGM Bill is the establishment of a new regulatory Political Financing Commission, with its members appointed by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.
The Commission is proposed to have the power to obtain information from political parties and candidates, with investigative powers and the ability to issue regulations with approval from Parliament.
