CHINA’S multi-billion-ringgit investments in Malaysia were the subject matter at a forum yesterday with a speaker asking if Beijing is funding Barisan Nasional’s election campaign.

Centre to Combat Corruption and Cronyism (C4) executive director Cynthia Gabriel said the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) and Forest City cost RM55 billion and RM105 billion respectively.

She told a crowd of about 200 at the St Francis Xavier Church in Petaling Jaya last night that while the investments are welcome, the projects raised concerns over the country’s economic future.

“All of the investments, such as ECRL, Forest City Project, Bandar Malaysia and the rest, amounted to a total of RM400 billion.

“We are happy with the investments coming in, but we are not happy if the investments are tied to how the economy is being shaped.

“What is China getting back in return? We know China is paying some of 1MDB (1Malaysia Development Berhad) debt, what else are they doing? Are they hiding Jho Low?” asked Gabriel.

Low Taek Jho or Jho Low has been named by the US Department of Justice (DoJ) as the mastermind behind the scheme to siphon off billions of ringgit from the state investor.

On political funding, Gabriel highlighted that the law on political funding, which was supposed to be tabled before the 14th general election, has yet to be completed and now has been pushed for completion by GE15.

Previously, caretaker minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Paul Low said the law to govern political funding will be ready by GE15 and “it is a big piece of legislation”.

Gabriel said: “So who is funding BN for GE14? We know all political parties need money, that is a fact.

“But we don’t have political funding laws, so how did they get the money? It is now very opaque, no one knows how they get their money,” she said during a talk titled Malaysian elections: Awakening political rights as responsible voters. – May 1, 2018.