Bar unanimous on need for political financing law

 

The resolution regarding the enactment of the Political Financing Law has been unanimously passed by members of the Malaysian Bar.

Its president Karen Cheah Yee Lynn (above) revealed this to reporters after attending the Bar’s annual general meeting (AGM) at Wisma MCA in Kuala Lumpur today.

“The house was quite unanimous that this legislative framework was necessary.

“The bill was already drafted last year but it was delayed because we had a change in government so now we will be pushing for its enactment,” Cheah said.

She added that the working paper of the law has been handed over to the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Azalina Othman Said and Bukit Gelugor MP Ramkarpal Singh.

Cheah said she hoped the law would be presented to Parliament soon, adding that lawmakers must have a strong “political will” to approve it.

The Political Financing Law has been in the making for many years, with previous governments vowing to table such a bill amid regular calls from civil societies for such legislation.

Political financing refers to the sourcing of funds for political parties on their activities and machinery.

There is currently no legislative framework on political financing in Malaysia except for some provisions under the Election Offences Act 1954.

It was previously reported last September that the then-Ismail Sabri Yaakob administration was expected to table the bill in Parliament in November.

However, the matter was shelved after Parliament was dissolved to make way for the 15th general election last November.

Recently, there have been renewed calls for clear laws regulating political financing following a slew of charges laid against politicians for corruption.

On March 8, Azalina said that bill will be referred to a parliamentary select committee but did not provide further details on the matter.

Jurisdiction independence walk

Cheah said another resolution was also passed at the AGM in regard to the police conduct on the Bar’s “walk for jurisdiction independence” last year.

The resolution was to condemn the police’s actions against the peaceful assembly, specifically towards four members of the Bar Council, including Cheah herself.

“This investigation is close to our hearts because after the walk, the police called us in and we declined to give our statements.

“Nine days later, we received a letter from the police that the case was classified as NFA (Not For Action).

“They obviously didn’t have a case against us and were just ‘fishing’,” Cheah claimed.

The walk was held on June 17 last year over alleged intimidation against the judiciary.

Aside from the two resolutions, nine others were also approved at the AGM, including the remuneration of judges and the right to hold peaceful assemblies.

Cheah also mentioned that the Bar held its first council meeting this year after the AGM where it was decided that incumbent members will retain their positions for now. - Mkini