Dr Terence Gomez said he went to the Dewan Rakyat to meet Opposition and government MPs for their support over the proposal.

Terence said he met Petaling Jaya Utara MP Tony Pua and Shah Alam MP Khalid Samad at the lobby for support over the proposal because the Barisan Nasional would still get a lot of funds and the Opposition could not match them.

“Pua informed me that DAP was now getting money from businesses following the election victory.”

Khalid, then with PAS, meanwhile wished Terence good luck when he told the MP that he was also meeting government representatives for support.

Terence, who is professor of Political Economy at Universiti Malaya’s Faculty of Economics and Administration, said this during a “Hard Talk” session titled “Challenges of Enhancing Democratic Space at Federal and State Levels”.

The event was held in conjunction with the International Malaysia Law Conference here.

Terence said he also met Cabinet member and senior Umno leader Nazri Aziz.

“Nazri told me that Umno will lose power if his party agreed to the proposal,” Terence said, adding that he was not surprised with that reply.

However, DAP Secretary-General Lim Guan Eng, who was a speaker, clarified with Terence that his party was for transparency and accountability in political financing.

“Next time, you come and see me, and not talk to other party leaders.”

Lim said the party had no slush funds, unlike some who he claimed had billions in their private accounts.

Terence said the issue resurfaced after the 1MDB saga and Prime Minister Najib Razak formed a committee to study political funding.

He said he and Cynthia Gabriel (of C4) refused to participate because Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Paul Low, overseeing integrity, good governance and human rights, declined to study the 1MDB as an example of money flowing out and finally landing in Najib’s accounts.

Further, he said, Low refused to have these discussions debated publicly.

“I felt uncomfortable because I felt the committee was only buying time,” he added.

Terence said a group of 70 non-governmental organisations was formed to bring about institutional reform and stop illegal political financing.

“This is because those who give money influence government policies. Even the underworld is financing political parties.”

Terence said a report would be made public in two months to also show the money flow from government-linked companies for political purposes.

He claimed the problem was becoming worse as even the Opposition was allegedly now emulating what Umno had reportedly been doing.