Azalina urges parties to formally state stand on political finance bill

The Prime Minister’s Department’s Legal Affairs Division (BHEUU) wants official positions from every party registered under the Registrar of Societies (RoS). Law and institutional reform minister Azalina Othman Said announced the push for written declarations at the Political Financing Convention 2026, themed Institutional Reform: Building Trust, Strengthening Democracy and held at the Asian International Arbitration Centre.

BHEUU Survey Findings and Public Demand Ahead of GE16

Public demand for regulated political funding is high. BHEUU deputy director-general (policy and development) Datuk Punitha Silivarajoo presented findings from 12 engagement sessions held nationwide between June and November 2025. The consultations involved 1,544 participants. Out of the 1,544 participants, 67 per cent were political parties and grassroots leaders, 17 per cent were government agencies and academics, 11 per cent were non-governmental organisations (NGOs), civil society organisations (CSOs) and youths, and five per cent were from the business sector. A total of 32 political parties and 69 NGOs and CSOs were consulted.

The engagement revealed unanimous agreement among the 1,544 participants that Malaysia needs a political financing law. Furthermore, 90.3 per cent of those surveyed want the legislation tabled and passed in Parliament before the next general election. Separately, BHEUU also commissioned the International Islamic University Malaysia to conduct a study on public perception on the proposal for a political financing law, with the research team also including researchers from Universiti Malaya, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, the Bar Council, Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs, and the Center to Combat Corruption and Cronyism (C4).

Azalina Seeks Party Positions Over Informal Feedback

While surveys gauge public sentiment, Azalina emphasized that the government requires documented evidence of where political groups stand, rather than relying solely on surveys or informal feedback. Because the proposed legislation will directly regulate political organizations, securing their cooperation is essential to preventing legislative gridlock.

“So they are the users and they will vote on the law. So you must have them to have more say. If not, the delay of the Act may happen if there is no buy-in from political parties,”

Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform)

The government wants responses submitted through formal channels, such as a party’s secretary-general, Supreme Council, or central working committee. Azalina noted that she would be “very surprised” if parties that advocated anti-corruption measures did not support the bill, adding that the formal replies will be verified before she presents the matter to the Cabinet to know which parties agree, disagree, or have better suggestions.

Timeline Challenges and Parliamentary Approval

Discussions surrounding the political financing framework have evolved over several years. BHEUU assumed responsibility for the studies in May 2023, and the Cabinet agreed in principle on September 8, 2023, to the enactment of the law and decided on further studies on the policy scope. BHEUU has carried out engagement work on the proposed law reform over the past two years, and Azalina explained that the delay is due to the process and procedure handled by BHEUU rather than a political delay.

When questioned about whether the bill will be completed before the 16th general election, Azalina stated that she did not know when the polls would be held and that the question should be directed to the prime minister. As for the timeline, she wished it to be as soon as possible, though it depends on the work being done to prepare the Bill.