He charged the proposed reforms whitewash the RM53 billion 1MDB scandal and the RM4.2 billion donation controversy. “It absolves BN from all responsibility for mega global financial scandals.”
“Political funding reforms should not institutionalize money politics.”
For starters, he expects the Office of the Controller – over political donations and expenditure — with powers to confiscate donations to be used against opposition parties to cripple them financially.
For too long, he pointed out, institutions have been compromised to benefit the BN. “This includes the Election Commission (EC) as apparent from the on-going redelineation exercise.”
Guan Eng, who is also Penang Chief Minister, assured that his party does not oppose the National Consultative Committee on Political Financing (NCCPF) headed by Federal Minister Paul Low but political gimmicks was a different matter.”The proposed reforms do not check money politics,” he reiterated.
He wants to know how Low can endorse an individual politician opening a personal bank account for political donations. “No democratic country would sanction this.”
He argued that any political funding reforms must ensure that vested interests, the rich and criminal elements, cannot use money to buy influence.
“What’s even more shocking is the removal of the limits on election campaign expenditures,” he said.
In any case, the current limits on campaign spending by candidates of RM200,000 for a parliamentary seat and RM100,000 for state seats have been observed, more often than not, in the breach, he continued. “Those limits have been abused by BN candidates 10 times over with impunity.”
“The BN has abused its powers by not punishing the culprits.”
By allowing unlimited campaign spending, money politics will rule, making a complete mockery of elections, warned Guan Eng. “There will no longer be free and fair elections but only bought elections.”
Also, he said, the failure to ensure full public declaration of assets by candidates was disappointing. “Even worse was the failure to divorce politics from business.”
“Political parties should not engage in commercial enterprises.”
BN component parties are actively engaged in business amounting to billions of ringgit, noted Guan Eng. “This only benefits the personal interests of a few leaders.”