SERI KEMBANGAN: The National Patriots Association (Patriot) has proposed that funding for political parties be regulated to curb corrupt practices.
Its honorary member, Tan Sri Lee Kim Yew, claimed today that such funding was the root of many corrupt practices and that there should be legislation to govern the finances of political parties.
“If the current government is serious about curbing corrupt practices, it should pass a law that require political parties to have their finances audited by the Auditor-General,“ Lee said.
The Country Heights Holdings Bhd founder was speaking at the first anniversary of the Jalur Gemilang Patriotic Forum and Forum Aspirasi Rakyat.
He pointed out that political parties could now raise billions of ringgit by accumulating party assets.
He said the main reason people remained unhappy despite a change in government was because corruption had not been weeded out yet.
“The moment they succeed in curbing corruption, the people’s support for the Pakatan Harapan government will rise,“ he said.
“People will see that the government has put in measures to ensure no one else can accumulate that much wealth through illicit means.”
Lee said political figures who had been appointed to public office should not mix their party work with their roles as public officials.
Human rights advocate Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan urged the government of the day to remember that the people had made several attempts to instigate for change and they finally succeeded through the ballot box last year.
“Our efforts began when the government of the day was denied two-thirds majority in Parliament in 2008.
“It was a long effort to bring change and the people in the government now were at the forefront of the movement.
“They (the current government) have a deep moral duty to ensure that all our gains are preserved,“ she said.
Ambiga added that the country needed statesmen, as politicians only cared about the next elections, but a statesman would think about the next generation.
