THE Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission’s (MACC) decision to freeze Bersatu’s bank accounts over allegations of money-laundering could ruin Perikatan Nasional’s (PN) chances in the upcoming state elections, political pundits said.  

They said damage would result from the public perception that Bersatu and PN had gained funds from illegal sources. 

The lack of funds would also derail election campaigns. 

Furthermore, Bersatu deputy president Ahmad Faizal Azumu had asserted earlier that Bersatu was a small party and therefore not well-funded. 

Ilham Centre executive director Hisommudin Bakar believes that the investigation will shatter PN’s hopes of performing well in the coming state elections for Selangor, Negri Sembilan, Penang, Kedah, Kelantan, and Terengganu.  

He said that PN’s image as a “clean and stable” coalition had been badly affected and it would be working hard now to dispel any notion that it had practised corrupt politics during the recent general election.  

“The probe will, of course, affect the reputation of Bersatu and PN in general in facing the next state polls,” he told The Malaysian Insight. 

“PN has always labelled itself as being clean and stable, going with the ‘PN BEST’ tagline. 

“Bersatu will now need to justify to the authorities relating to the entry of a number of ‘political contributions’ into the account.  

“This somewhat scratches the clean image of PN,” he said.  

Besides admitting that the public might see the move as political, Hisommudin felt that it was needed to combat corruption in the country.  

“In my opinion, this is clearly an effort by the unity government to fight corruption and try to improve the position of the Corruption Perception Index, which has recently declined,” he said. 

On Tuesday, Transparency International Malaysia said that the country had dropped by one point to 47 in the Corruption Perception Index (CPI) for 2022. 

Earlier this week, MACC chief Azam Baki confirmed that Bersatu’s accounts had been frozen under the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act.  

It is believed that the anti-graft body took this step with regard to the alleged misuse of RM600 billion in government funds during the Covid-19 pandemic under the Perikatan Nasional administration.

Bersatu secretary-general Hamzah Zainudin reacted by accusing the unity government of using MACC as a political tool to destroy PN. 

Sympathy votes  

On the flip side, an analyst thought Bersatu could gain sympathy votes if MACC’s actions were deemed “politically motivated”. 

International Islamic University of Malaysia’s political science assistant professor Tunku Mohar Tunku Mohd Mokhtar said that the frozen accounts would cripple the coalition in the state elections.  

He, however, believed that Malay fence-sitters would be triggered to vote for PN. 

“There will be two opposing views: one, that no party or coalition is immune from law.  

“The other, which would help PN, is that this is a political persecution, and would rally sympathy from Malay fence-sitting voters,” he said.  

With confidence in the current government diminishing due to contentious moves such as the appointment of Anwar Ibrahim’s daughter as an economic and financial adviser, Tunku Mohar said MACC’s actions could be construed as having a political aim.  

Last Thursday, Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin said he would write to MACC to request that the agency unfreeze the party’s accounts. 

He said fulfilment of his request would help ease the party’s day-to-day operations, including its wage bill and office rent. 

Muhyiddin previously denied allegations that his government had misappropriated RM92.5 billion of Covid emergency funding when he was prime minister. – February 4, 2023.