Bersatu’s Wan Ahmad Fayhsal Wan Ahmad Kamal and Syerleena Abdul Rashid of DAP said clear regulations are needed to safeguard the nation’s sovereignty.
“I believe we should regulate political financing rather than ban it. Make the matter transparent. That will really put accountability to the test,” Wan Fayhsal told FMT.
“There are also many foreign NGOs that are being tapped by the opposition as well as the government to conduct their political affairs. There must be some parameters or guidance (to regulate these activities).”
The Machang MP said foreign funding which legitimately supports community development in Malaysia should be welcomed.
“Where it’s all about community building and the identity of the donor is made very clear—then I believe it is something that is warranted and to be accepted,” he said, adding that political financing regulations should apply to local donors as well.
Syerleena said global democratic institutions were a valuable resource, but called for public disclosure of all collaborative efforts to promote transparency and accountability.
“Political financing reform isn’t just a nice idea—it’s a necessity. We need strong laws, clear disclosure rules and tough enforcement to keep our democracy clean,” said the Bukit Bendera MP.
Last week, the G25 group of prominent retired civil servants proposed the ban — already in place in several countries like the US — to curb external influences on domestic politics and protect national interests.
Political analyst Azmi Hassan of Akademi Nusantara and Projek Sama spokesman Thomas Fann expressed support for the ban, arguing that such arrangements normally come with conditions that may compromise national interests.
New form of colonisation?
Umno Supreme Council member Puad Zakarshi also called for the imposition of a ban on foreign political funding, saying it would save the nation from being trapped in a “new form of colonisation”.
“Foreign groups will undoubtedly prioritise their own economic interests and may introduce policies that contradict the Federal Constitution and national system, particularly concerning issues like religion and the rulers.
“This could lead to the escalation of 3R (race, religion and royalty) issues,” said the Rengit assemblyman.
He said even political donations from local entities and individuals should be publicly disclosed.
“There should be full disclosure to prevent any party from manipulating contributions for business interests. The names of donors must be declared to the public,” said Puad, the Johor legislative assembly speaker.
PAS deputy president Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man called for the political financing bill to be expedited, saying all discussions on the topic would be meaningless without a legal framework in place.
He also urged the government to scrutinise contributions from government-linked companies and local corporations, saying they often came with hidden agendas.
“There is no free lunch. These contributions are often used as ‘bait’ to secure government projects,” said the Kubang Kerian MP.
In 2022, then prime minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob said the special Cabinet committee on anti-corruption had agreed in principle to the bill, adding that the regulation of political financing was crucial to curb abuse of power by politicians.
Last November, deputy law and institutional reform minister M Kulasegaran said the proposed bill was still being studied by the special select committee on human rights, election and institutional reform.