PAKATAN Harapan’s manifesto for the 14th general election will include laws on political funding, Bersatu’s Dr Rais Hussin said.

Refusing to provide details, the party’s policy and strategy bureau chief said more specifics on the laws would be included in the manifesto to be launched on Thursday.

“Political funding is being included in the manifesto. Now we have to see whether we have missed anything. 

“We have to ensure it is comprehensive. We do not want to promise something that cannot be delivered. Let me tell you the political funding promise is very pregnant,” Rais said in a press conference today at Bersatu’s headquarters. 

Today, representatives of civil society groups who make up the Governance, Integrity, Accountability and Transparency (GIAT) coalition met Bersatu.

GIAT handed over a memorandum to the party which outlined five demands, including laws on political funding. 

Rais said the opposition pact would have time to include GIAT’s demands as its parties are meeting to finalise the manifesto later today.

GIAT’s demands are feasible for any political party to implement and should in fact be considered the “norms” of any functioning democracy, he said. 

“Today, when I hear all the demands, these are norms rather than demands. 

“These are the things we are fighting for. Time for (groups) to join Bersatu as well.”

Centre to Combat Corruption and Cronyism (C4) executive director Cynthia Gabriel, who presented the memorandum, said the parties did not necessarily need to commit to political funding laws immediately but should pledge to honour them after the elections. 

“We not asking for candidates to declare assets now but we saying they should work with groups like Bar Council to form a comprehensive law. 

“There is nothing wrong in being rich but being rich from our funds, that’s a problem.”

GIAT consists of six civil society groups including C4, Democracy and Economic Affairs (IDEAS), Sinar Project, Transparency International-Malaysia, Friends of Kota Damansara, MyPJ and Society for the Protection of Human Rights (Proham).

The five points that GIAT wants parties commit to before GE14 are:

1) Endorse legislation that will affirm the independence of institutions, more importantly the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) and the Attorney-General’s Chambers.

2) Enact a national freedom of information law, review the Official Secrets Act 1972 and adopt open data principles.

3) Require by law that all cabinet members, members of parliament, elected officials and senior public officials declare their assets.

4) Improve participatory democracy within all levels of government, including budgeting processes and holding local council elections.

5) Require by law that all political parties declare all forms of income and expenditure. – March 5, 2018.