Thursday 28 Mar 2024
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KUALA LUMPUR (March 28): Investigations related to the Pandora Papers also involve politicians within the government bloc in Parliament, according to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

“I do not know specifically, but I was told that there is an investigation that involves both the opposition and the government bloc. I do not know the position, because whenever this issue came up, I asked the enforcement agencies. They confirmed that there is an investigation.

“Whether charges will be pressed upon them, it is up to the Attorney General’s Chambers (AGC),” the Tambun Member of Parliament told the Dewan Rakyat on Tuesday (March 28).

Anwar was responding to Datuk Siti Zailah Mohd Yusoff (PAS-Rantau Panjang), who asked whether there is any investigation of MPs in the government’s bloc as well as funds that went into component parties within the government coalition.

“Regarding investigations into political funding for the government’s component parties, I am open. There's no problem,” said Anwar, who is also the PKR president.

“However, we need to understand the current laws allow donations to political parties. Regarding the recent charges, these are prosecutions related to awarded contracts.

“Hence, if there is a question about the possibility of having a corruption element in donations to PKR, that can be raised. I have no problem.

“But there is a need to understand the law. There is no infringement of the law from the legal perspective for any people to donate to political parties.

Those related to the corruption element [are] because of awarding contracts, and those who were awarded with contracts provided funds to private companies or individuals or parties,” he added.

Last month, several politicians from now-opposition Perikatan Nasional (PN) were brought to the court over corruption-related offences linked to Jana Wibawa, a programme expediting the government’s construction project roll-outs during the Covid-19 pandemic.

They are then information chief of Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) Datuk Wan Saiful Wan Jan and Bersatu Segambut deputy division chief Adam Radlan Adam Muhammad.

Earlier in March, PN chairman and former prime minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin was also charged in the court over allegedly receiving bribes and money laundering. All three pleaded not guilty, while Muhyiddin openly called for regulators to investigate political funds received by PKR and Umno as well.

Separation of public prosecutor role from AGC being studied

Earlier on Tuesday, government backbencher Chiew Choon Man (PKR-Miri) also asked whether the government intends to separate the role of the public prosecutor from the AGC.

Anwar said although many in the government would agree in principle, it would take time to implement the separation as the matter is deemed to be “a little complex”.

“This recommendation is being studied. There are proposals for them to be separated. This matter is a little complex. I think it would take time, but in principle, many agree for them to be separated.

“However, in the stage of execution, we are still studying it, because in terms of financial impact, it is estimated to cost an additional RM300 million. I agree that this is not the main consideration. What is important is to ensure there is a prosecution process that is transparent and independent,” he said, without further elaboration.

For more Parliament stories, click here.

Edited ByAdam Aziz
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