FOUR MPs from Bersatu, which is part of the opposition Perikatan Nasional bloc, have declared their support for Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.

They are Suhaili Abdul Rahman (Labuan), Iskandar Dzulkarnain Abdul Khalid (Kuala Kangsar), Mohd Azizi Abu Naim (Gua Musang), and Zahari Kechik (Jeli), who all said they backed the unity government to get federal funds for their constituents.

The Center to Combat Corruption and Cronyism (C4 Center) is raising the alarm over this issue on multiple fronts – the persistence of money politics within Malaysia’s electoral democracy; the failings of existing anti-party hopping provisions; and the ongoing erosion of the democratic process.

The guarantee for receiving federal funding for their constituencies as the primary reason for shifting coalitions brings to the forefront the issue of money being used as a political tool. Currently, Putrajaya has complete autonomy over which constituencies receive funding. As a result, the coalition leaders of successive ruling governments will be able to solidify their position on the promises of constituency funding alone.

This could result in MPs preemptively forming political alliances with the ruling coalition post-election with the anticipation they would receive federal funding for their constituency. Hence, a political funding law that mandates the allocation of funds to all constituencies will make redundant the need to shift loyalties in order to obtain funds – it removes money as being a primary factor in how politicians decide their allegiances.

The defection of the Bersatu MPs also reveals the ineffectiveness of the anti-party hopping provisions under article 49A of the Federal Constitution. The MPs were not implicated under the law. All four members who have declared their allegiance switch have maintained they would remain Bersatu members, and although they face disciplinary action, their expulsion from the party would allow them to maintain their seats.

This odd feature opens a loophole for new and volatile political alliances to be forged, which is especially dangerous given the high degree of infiltration of money politics within our political structures.

On the surface, it is clear how this loyalty switching is an usurpation of democratic principles. While it is true these candidates were voted in by their constituents, they were also likely chosen based on their party or coalition affiliation. If politicians are allowed to change allegiances and parties, it renders the electoral system defunct.

It is reminiscent of the Sheraton Move of early 2020, and continues the precedent that the people’s mandate to decide representation in parliament has become an increasingly meaningless process. The hung parliament from Malaysia’s last general election and the subsequent formation of the unity government also shed light on how citizens’ attitude towards the political landscape has shifted. Our anti-party hopping law must account for the need to form stable governments.

However, money politics also affects voter decisions, in that desirable political choices are made on the basis of which parties and candidates are able to secure constituency funding as opposed to how the funding itself can be directed and expended in ways that can benefit communities. Elections then become merely about where money flows and which MPs are most likely to secure funds by forging loyalties.

If money continues to determine the course of Malaysian politics, governance will continue to be seen as a means of resource accumulation and control as opposed to protecting the welfare of Malaysians. While the upkeep of welfare is undeniably connected to MPs having more funding at their disposal, the question of why some constituencies deserve funding while others do not remains unanswered – the political affiliations of MPs is not a justifiable reason for denying funding.

Hence, C4 Center urges the following:

– The government needs to table a political funding act that would guarantee funding to all constituencies, the amount of which shall be decided based on sensible metrics such as population size and the need for basic infrastructure.

– The establishment of an asset declaration framework to ensure political funding is not abused for personal gain, instead is used for constituencies’ development.

– Refining article 49A of the Federal Constitution to account for a wider scope of situations where politicians can simply be bought over by promises of funding or appointments to more powerful positions. – November 15, 2023.

* C4 Center is an independent entity that upholds good governance principles.