KUALA LUMPUR: Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin has challenged the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission to investigate PKR and Umno’s source of funds after being charged in court for abuse of power and money laundering funds linked to his party.
Stating that it marked the “first time in history” that a president of a political party has been charged in court for receiving political contributions for his party, Muhyiddin questioned why other parties and their presidents had not been investigated or prosecuted.
“Investigate the source of PKR and Umno’s income. Don’t they also receive political funds from businessmen?” he told delegates at Bersatu’s annual general meeting here.
On Friday, Muhyiddin claimed trial to four counts of abuse of power in relation to the Jana Wibawa programme to obtain RM232.5 million for Bersatu. He also pleaded not guilty to two charges of money laundering amounting to RM195 million.
Muhyiddin, who said that he has been in politics for 50 years, stressed that political parties do not operate businesses to generate income which can be used to finance party activities and election campaigning.
“Therefore, the main source of political party funds is donations from party members and supporters, including businessmen, tycoons and philanthropists who support the party’s cause,” he said.
“Without such donations, it is certainly very difficult for a political party to carry out their functions in a democratic country.”
He claimed that while Bersatu’s members have lodged several reports urging MACC to probe other parties’ sources of funds, he lamented that only Bersatu has been investigated – with all of its financial records seized by the anti-graft agency. - FMT