Zahid explains... not Najib

Prime Minister Najib Razak was not at the Parliament to explain that RM2.6 billion political funds issue but his deputy Zahid Hamidi was tasked to do it on his behalf.

The opposition MPs were frustrated, and so was Najib's strongest critic former premier Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad who rejected Zahid's explanation and instead demanded 1MDB to show proof that the money did not come from the government's investment entity.



Call it 'anti-climax' if you may - for Najib's absence - but Zahid was the 'man of the day' for taking up the role Najib should have shouldered. And the fact that the issue was not allowed for debate did open more doors to criticism.

Zahid said on Thursday a democratic system allowed political parties to engage in the practice of accepting political funds, which is not something new.

Malaysia, as of now, had yet to have legislation requiring the declaration of political donations or sponsorships and there was no ban either on donations for political purposes, he told the Dewan Rakyat.

Zahid, who is also the home minister, provided an explanation under Standing Orders 14(1)(i) on the issue of political funds amounting to RM2.6 billion

entered into an account of the prime minister.

"In fact, the reality in many developed countries is that the political donation is handed over publicly. Let not anyone point fingers and pretend they are not in need of political funds because political donations are not something new in a democratic system," he said.

Referring to the absence of legislation on the matter, Zahid said the prime minister himself had said he was prepared to have political funding regulated since way back in 2009.

"In 2010, the Government Transformation Programme (GTP) recommended that political funding be regulated. The Prime Minister also signed the Election Integrity Pledge of Transparency International Malaysia in 2013."However, the Prime Minister's suggestion for political donations or funding to be regulated did not materialise because the proposal was shot down by the opposition parties, and up to now there has been no legislation in the country to oversee the handing over of political funding," he said.

Zahid said that when the issue gained public attention and elicited various reactions, the Prime Minister suggested again, this year, for political funding to be regulated by setting up the National Consultative Committee on Political Funding that would gather the views of all the relevant quarters.

On Aug 4, 2015, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) stated that the RM2.6 billion entered into the account of the Prime Minister was not from 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), the government investment company.

The Attorney-General advised the government against making any statement on the matter raised as it was under investigation by the relevant agencies.

"Nevertheless, I feel it must be stated that the MACC had identified the donor of the RM2.6 billion political funding. Besides, Bank Negara was also informed of the opening of the bank account," he said.

In this connection, Zahid said the relevant agencies should be given the freedom to undertake their investigations in a transparent manner without the influence of any quarters.

"Any statement issued by any quarters on the matter raised could be assumed to be sub judice that could jeopardise any of the investigations and give rise to public prejudice against the parties in the investigations," he said.

Zahid gave the explanation after the issue of the political funding was raised by several MPs by way of oral questions, questions for written reply and during the debate on Budget 2016 at the policy and committee stage of the Third Meeting of the Third Session of the 13th Parliament that began on Oct 19, 2015.

Earlier, there was a slight commotion in the house when several opposition MPs objected to Zahid, and not Najib, having to give the explanation. Dewan Rakyat Speaker Pandikar Amin Mulia said, however, that Zahid was allowed to give the explanation in his capacity as the minister representing the prime minister in the matter.

Pandikar Amin said the explanation was being made in accordance with Standing Orders 14 (1)(i), whereby no questions could be forwarded and there would be no debate.

The speaker coughed repeatedly to get the attention of the opposition MPs and government backbenchers so as to stop their arguments and not interrupt the sitting.

Well, explanation given. Whether its 'valid or not' to Najib's critics, it should put a stop to all polemics, which I think will escalate.