In a statement, Ismail said that the proposal will be discussed with the Cabinet before further engagement with political parties.

Ismail said the bill was important for the regulation of political financing and to avoid the risk of corruption and abuse of power by politicians, which would negatively affect the country’s image.

Last week, former Election Commission (EC) deputy chairman Wan Ahmad Wan Omar said corruption and the “buying and selling” of elected representatives would continue to be an issue unless the government enacted a Political Funding Act.

In an interview with Utusan Malaysia, Wan Ahmad said the 15th general election (GE15), as with other state and general elections before this, would continue to be plagued by such issues because there were no specific laws for the EC to act on.

On May 12, the All-Party Parliamentary Group Malaysia (APPGM) on political financing had asked about the status of the political financing bill that was supposed to have been tabled two years ago.

Ismail said the committee also agreed for an in-depth study be carried out on the separation of powers between the Public Prosecutor and the Attorney-General as it involved the Federal Constitution, laws and financial implications.

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