PONTIAN: Parties across the political divide should be receptive towards the proposed Political Donations and Expenditure Act (PEDA), as it could promote transparency in political funding.
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said this was important because a clear guideline is needed for all political parties to table their sources of political funding, and this effort should not be done only by the ruling political party.
He said the proposed regulations could become a means for political parties to make their funding more transparent.
He said if the proposal was accepted by all, it must be practised.
"It is a guideline which is very much needed in order for all quarters to be transparent when they table their sources of political funding.
"We do not want it to (involve) only the ruling party, such as Barisan Nasional component parties, which have been levelled with accusations as if those on the other side have never received funding that does not need to be tabled.
"We should be open minded and accepting on a guideline that can be accepted by all to ensure transparency in political funding," said Zahid after opening the Tanjung Piai Umno division delegates meeting at Kolej Matrikulasi Teknikal Johor, Pontian.
Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Paul Low Seng Kuan said yesterday that the National Consultative Committee on Political Financing will submit its recommended Political Donations and Expenditure Act (PDEA) to the Cabinet in two weeks' time.