SPEED UP LEGISLATION ON POLITICAL PARTIESʼ FUNDING, SAYS PAS
Najib welcomes probe but questions freezing of bank accounts
DATUK Seri Najib Razak has called on the Pakatan Harapan (PH) government to not freeze any political parties’ bank accounts and interrupt an opposition party that is constructive.
He said it would not affect the investigation into 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) carried out by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) if the accounts were not frozen.
Freezing the bank accounts, he said, would interrupt an effective opposition party, thus impeding the democratic process.
“I am very sad with the decision by PH to freeze the bank accounts of opposition parties, including Umno and SUPP (Sarawak United People’s Party).
“In fact, a PH member of parliament has urged the government to freeze bank accounts of MCA, MIC and Gerakan.
“A political party is never wrong in this situation. Umno and SUPP are not guilty. Like any other political party, including PH itself, it is a norm to receive political funds (donations).
“How can a political party make a confirmation on funds given to a party? Can Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (PPBM) or DAP conclude that the donations received by them do not come from donors that are involved in illegal activity or black economy?
“Since PH has claimed that I was involved in wrongdoings, I welcome the investigation against me, but don’t make a political party the victim,” said the former prime minister in a statement.
He added that there was no legal provision that stated political financing was wrong.
MACC has frozen about 900 accounts traced to 1MDB.
It also froze the accounts of central Umno and Selangor Umno on Thursday, as confirmed by Umno presidential candidate Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
Zahid, who was informed of the matter on the same day, said it was not impossible for the antigraft body to also freeze the account of Johor Umno.