Leave no bank account unchecked

Politics is an expensive business. There is no doubt about that, especially when elections are concerned.

The campaigning, the posters, the billboards, the pizzas for the volunteers. All these expenses require cash. And lots of it.

As a result of this, political parties rely on financial backers, and this is true wherever you go.

But how can we as citizens be assured that the politicians we vote for are never compromised, particularly in instances when the interests of the electorate conflict with those who provide political funding?

Another concern is how do we ensure that the political party in power does not abuse the country's coffers to line its own political war chest?

In Malaysia, the fact that political funding is not regulated has always been a concern to me. Even more worrisome was the fact that nothing much ever seemed to come out of any talk to address the status quo.

But it seems that there may be hope yet.

The setting up of the National Consultative Council on Political Funding (JKNMPP), announced by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak this week, is a much welcome move in the right direction.

But how effective will it be, one wonders.

Formulating the right policies towards campaign finance reform and regulating political fundraising will be tough enough, but implementing it fairly for all political entities seems an even more ardous task.

Still, at the very least, recent developments in the country over the past months and the subsequent setting up of the JKNMPP should get the ball rolling towards bringing some element of transparency in political funding in Malaysia.

Would we all sleep easier knowing that no one, (and I mean, no one) ever gets a chance to unduly influence government policies for their own personal or political agenda?

These changes should hopefully bring about positive changes to the political landscape in the country, strengthening our democracy and allowing a more mature political process to take place.

No parties should be allowed to amass funds without revealing some details about their backers.

With that in mind, I hope the JKNMPP will be given all the space it needs to do its work.

No stone, or in this context, no bank account, should be left unchecked.