Azalina: Malaysians want political funding law before GE16; political parties’ buy-in needed to avoid delay

In a recent address, Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said, the Minister in the Prime Minister's Department, emphasized the public's strong demand for a political financing law in Malaysia before the 16th general election, based on findings from public engagement sessions conducted by the Legal Affairs Division.

Despite acknowledging the complexity and procedural requirements of enacting such a law, Azalina stressed the importance of political parties' involvement and feedback, as their buy-in is crucial for successful implementation.

While 90.3% of stakeholders support the legislation's introduction before the next election, the timeline remains uncertain, hinging on ongoing studies and consultations.

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 8 — Malaysians have voiced their desire for Malaysia to have a political financing law to regulate political parties’ funding before the 16th general election, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said said today.

Azalina’s remarks were based on findings from the Prime Minister’s Department’s Legal Affairs Division (BHEUU) public engagement sessions.

“I was informed by the BHEUU deputy director general (policy) many voices of the public wants, if possible, that this Act can be in force before the 16th general election,” she said at the Political Financing Convention 2026 held at the Asian International Arbitration Centre (AIAC) building.

Azalina said the views of political parties would have to be obtained before the proposed political financing law is brought to Parliament, as it would be politicians in Parliament who would vote on whether to introduce such a law.

“So they are the users and they will vote on the law. So you must have them to have more say. If not, the delay of the Act may happen if there is no buy-in from political parties,” she said.

Earlier in the same speech, Azalina said she understood the debates, criticism and public anxiety over the process to introduce a political financing law not being as quick as other reform agendas.

“And certainly the people have the right to hope for changes and to demand the government fulfill the commitment as soon as possible.

“But on behalf of the government, I admit that the agenda of institutional legal reform, when we talk about political financing, is not a process that is that simple and capable of being implemented so quickly,” she said, emphasising the need for political parties to be stakeholders and to give their views since the proposed law would apply to them.

“Political will is not just measured by how quickly a reform is presented, but it also has to be evaluated based on the courage to start it, the readiness to accept views and criticism, and the strength of determination to carry it out,” she added.

Earlier in the speech, Azalina said BHEUU had taken over studies on the proposed political financing law since May 2023, and that the Cabinet had on September 8, 2023 agreed in principle to the drafting of the law and decided on further studies on the policy scope.

Azalina noted that BHEUU had carried out engagement work on the proposed law reform over the past two years.

Later at a press conference, Azalina replied to a question on why the political financing law had yet to be introduced in Malaysia, saying this was due to studies being carried out over the past two years: “The delay is not a political delay, but delay in terms of process and procedure done by BHEUU.”

Asked if it was possible for the proposed political financing law to be introduced before GE16, Azalina said the question of when GE16 would be held should be directed to the prime minister.

As for the timeline for how soon the law could be introduced, Azalina said, “I wish it’s as soon as possible”, but that it would depend on the work being done to prepare the Bill.

At the press conference, Azalina outlined various technical aspects of the proposed political financing law that have to be considered before it is brought to the Cabinet, and also proposed that BHEUU collect the written official opinions of all registered political parties in Malaysia on whether they agree to such a law.

Findings show 90.3 per cent want political financing law before GE16

Earlier at the convention, BHEUU deputy director-general (policy and development) Datuk Punitha Silivarajoo presented the findings from BHEUU’s engagement involving 1,544 participants nationwide in 12 engagement sessions from June to November 2025.

Punitha said 100 per cent of the 1,544 participants agreed that Malaysia needs to have a political financing law, and that 90.3 per cent of the 1,544 wanted this law to be tabled and passed in Parliament before the next general election.

Out of the 1,544 participants, 67 per cent were political parties and grassroots leaders, 17 per cent were government agencies and academics, 11 per cent were non-governmental organisations (NGOs), civil society organisations (CSOs) and youths, and five per cent were from the business sector.

A total of 32 political parties and 69 NGOs and CSOs were consulted in the engagement sessions with 1,544 participants.

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首相署部长拿督斯里阿扎丽娜·奥斯曼·赛义德在最近的一次讲话中强调，根据法律事务部开展的公众参与会议的调查结果，公众强烈要求在第16届全国大选前制定马来西亚政治融资法。

尽管承认制定此类法律的复杂性和程序要求，阿扎利娜仍强调政党的参与和反馈的重要性，因为他们的支持对于成功实施至关重要。

虽然 90.3% 的利益相关者支持在下次选举前提出该立法，但时间表仍不确定，取决于正在进行的研究和磋商。

吉隆坡，9月8日——首相署（法律及体制改革）部长拿督斯里阿扎丽娜·奥斯曼·赛义德今天表示，马来西亚民众已表达了希望马来西亚在第16届全国大选前制定政治融资法以规范政党资金来源的愿望。

阿扎丽娜的言论是基于总理府法律事务司（BHEUU）公众参与会议的调查结果。

“我从BHEUU副总干事（政策）那里了解到，许多公众希望，如果可能的话，这项法案能在第16届大选之前生效，”她在亚洲国际仲裁中心（AIAC）大楼举行的2026年政治融资大会上说。

阿扎利娜表示，在将拟议的政治融资法提交议会之前，必须征求各政党的意见，因为最终将由议会中的政治家投票决定是否引入此类法律。

“所以他们才是用户，他们将对法律进行投票。因此，必须让他们拥有更多的话语权。否则，如果各政党不予支持，该法案可能会被推迟通过，”她说道。

在同一篇演讲的前面部分，阿扎利娜表示，她理解公众对政治融资法出台进程不如其他改革议程迅速的争论、批评和焦虑。

“人民当然有权希望发生改变，并要求政府尽快履行承诺。

“但我代表政府承认，在谈到政治融资时，制度法律改革的议程并不是一个简单且能够迅速实施的过程，”她说道，并强调各政党需要成为利益相关者，并发表意见，因为拟议的法律将适用于他们。

她补充说：“政治意愿不仅要看改革提出得有多快，还要看是否有勇气启动改革，是否有意愿接受不同的意见和批评，以及是否有决心执行改革。”

阿扎利娜在演讲早些时候表示，自 2023 年 5 月以来，BHEUU 已接手对拟议的政治融资法的研究，内阁于 2023 年 9 月 8 日原则上同意起草该法，并决定进一步研究政策范围。

阿扎利娜指出，在过去的两年里，BHEUU 就拟议的法律改革开展了参与工作。

后来在新闻发布会上，阿扎丽娜回答了关于马来西亚为何尚未出台政治融资法的问题，称这是由于过去两年一直在进行相关研究：“这种延迟并非政治上的延迟，而是BHEUU在流程和程序方面所采取的措施造成的延迟。”

当被问及拟议的政治融资法是否有可能在第16届全国大选前提出时，阿扎利娜表示，第16届全国大选何时举行的问题应该向总理提出。

至于该法案何时能够出台，阿扎利娜表示：“我希望越快越好”，但这取决于法案的准备工作进展情况。

在新闻发布会上，阿扎丽娜概述了拟议的政治融资法在提交内阁审议之前必须考虑的各种技术方面，并建议BHEUU收集马来西亚所有注册政党的书面官方意见，以表明他们是否同意这项法律。

调查结果显示，90.3%的人希望在第16届全国大选前出台政治筹资法。

在大会早些时候，BHEUU 副总监（政策与发展）Datuk Punitha Silivarajoo 介绍了 BHEUU 在 2025 年 6 月至 11 月期间，在全国范围内开展的 12 次参与式会议中，共有 1,544 名参与者的调查结果。

普尼塔表示，1544名参与者中有100%的人同意马来西亚需要一部政治融资法，其中90.3%的人希望这部法律在下次大选前提交国会并通过。

在 1544 名参与者中，67% 是政党和基层领导人，17% 是政府机构和学者，11% 是非政府组织 (NGO)、民间社会组织 (CSO) 和青年，5% 来自商业部门。

在与 1544 名参与者的互动会议中，共有 32 个政党和 69 个非政府组织和民间社会组织进行了咨询。

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