(Aug 27): Malaysia's independence has been compromised because of the RM2.6 billion political donation put into Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak's private accounts, a large portion of which was said to be from an unknown Middle Eastern donor, DAP national publicity secretary Tony Pua said today.

"When the country was freed from colonial rule in 1957 and merged with Sabah and Sarawak in 1963, her citizens are able to chart their own goals, dreams and destinies. But now Malaysia's independence is under threat and her citizens face the risk of a newfound imperialism by a unknown and mysterious Arab power.

"In the past, the people of Malaya and Borneo were kept under a leash via the military force of the British. Today, Malaysia’s vision and policies are influenced by obscene amounts of foreign money funding our ruling political party," he said in a statement today ahead of the 59th Merdeka celebrations on Monday.

Pua cited how senior Umno leader and minister Datuk Seri Nazri Abdul Aziz had found “nothing wrong” for  Najib to personally accept the secret donation from a “brotherly” Arab nation.

"He shamelessly admitted that the so-called ‘donation’ was 'to see certain parties win in the general election because we are friendly to them'.

"That confirmed without a doubt that Malaysia’s sovereign status is under threat as our ruling party and its leaders have become compromised by secret foreign funds."

Pua said BN was unable to differentiate between the government’s money and its own.

This was seen in remarks by Deputy Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi who claimed that the Arab nation was helping BN because of the government's commitment to counter terrorism and to maintain Malaysian Muslims' Sunni identity.

Pua said if the Arabs indeed appreciated Malaysia’s efforts to counter terrorism and were keen to contribute to the cause as claimed, the foreign aid should have gone into government coffers and not secretly deposited into Najib's private bank account.

"Just as we used to receive aid from the Europeans, the United States and the Japanese, the money would belong to all Malaysians, and not to Najib or Umno.

"When such obscene sums are 'donated' into the personal bank account of the prime minister and/or the ruling party Umno under such suspicious and clandestine manner, then our political leaders have been severely compromised.

"Regardless of the cause or excuses provided, it becomes a bribe to our local politicians to pander to the interest of the foreign power."

Pua said in the light of the Merdeka and Malaysia Day celebrations, Malaysians must reclaim their stolen independence and the country from the hands of those who have connived with foreign powers to sacrifice our sovereignty.

Pua said he would attend the Bersih 4 rally in Kuala Lumpur, which is also to be held in Kota Kinabalu, Kuching and several major cities in the world to mark National Day and also to defend the Merdeka spirit that the nation's forefathers fought hard for in 1957 and 1963. – The Malaysian Insider