Any politician free to accept overseas funds

Politicians from the government or opposition are free to accept financial aid or contribution from abroad as long as there are no laws that prevent or regulate the entry of political funds into the country.

Minister in the Prime Minister's Department, Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said said Malaysia was not like certain countries that had special regulations to prevent politicians from receiving funds from supporters.

"So now if we want to talk about Barisan Nasional (accepting political funds), I would like to inform that even many opposition parties also received (funds).

"For example, when Parliament is sitting, I see many of its Members enter and exit from the Dewan and go overseas because they are invited to speak at the international platform...who pays," she told reporters at the Malaysian National Film Development Corporation (Finas), here Saturday.

She was commenting on allegations by the opposition linking the government and Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak with the scandal that overseas funds were credited into the prime minister's personal account. The Pengerang Member of Parliament said if the opposition still believed political contribution was something that needed to be regulated, then they needed to move the private bill in Parliament.

"To act fairly, as the minister in charge of Parliamentary affairs, I pledge to review the motion provided myself," she said.

In another development, Azalina said she would have a special meeting with Communications and Multimedia Minister, Datuk Seri Panglima Dr Mohd Salleh Said Keruak next week to discuss the amendments to the Communications and Multimedia Act.

She said the lack of an amendment at present had made it difficult for the government to take action against any social media practitioners found to be irresponsible with their reporting.

There was a need to look at the possibility of setting up a special court such as a Multimedia Court, she said.

Azalina said the draft of the amendment was being drawn up and expected to be tabled in October.