Opposition leader Hamzah Zainudin has indicated that he has files on government party leaders from his time as home minister.

He revealed this while speaking out against alleged political persecution against the opposition.

“Don’t just find fault. I can just find fault with them. I’m telling you, I know.

“I used to be the home minister, I think I’ve got a lot of files against them too, whether I want to use it or not,” Hamzah said in an interview with The Star.

He then went on to say that if the opposition is being harassed just to frustrate them, this would not work.

“As politicians, we’ll never get frustrated, and actually the spirit that we get after actually being pushed, being harassed like this, we (just become) stronger,” he said.

On Friday, Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin was charged with abuse of power and money laundering involving RM232.5 million – allegedly obtained from three companies and an individual during his time as prime minister.

The former premier is slated to be slapped with more charges on Monday.

He and his supporters have implied that these were political donations.

‘Nothing wrong with political donations’

Hamzah, during the interview, said there was nothing wrong with political donations as it is currently unregulated.

“There is no act against political funds, anyone can actually donate to a party if they feel that the cause, the struggle, the leaders of the party, can actually achieve whatever they want,” he added.

The Political Funding Bill has been in the making for many years, with previous governments vowing to table such a bill amid regular calls from civil societies for such legislation.

It was previously reported last September that the then-Ismail Sabri Yaakob administration was expected to table a Political Funding Bill in Parliament in November.

However, the matter was shelved after Parliament was dissolved to make way for the 15th general election last November.

The previous Pakatan Harapan government submitted a proposed legislative framework for the bill to Parliament in November 2019 to be presented to a special select committee for scrutiny.

However, the Harapan government fell in February 2020 following the Sheraton Move.

In the latest development, the current government said the bill would be referred to a Parliament special select committee for further deliberation.

There may be repercussions

Meanwhile, Hamzah said he hoped the government would take the opposition seriously and engage them.

Otherwise, he said there might be repercussions.

“We are fighting for the people. We believe that whatever struggle we take to Parliament must be considered fairly by the government.

“If we feel that the government is not listening to us, then we would have no other choice, but to do something.

“We have many options, but I cannot tell you now, but we will do something.

“As a human being, I have my limits. When I do not have any other choice, then I will go for it (one of the options),” MKINI

Muhyiddin dares MACC to probe Anwar, Zahid

Muhyiddin, who has vowed to fight what he claimed to be political persecution against Bersatu, made the call in his keynote speech to over 1,000 Bersatu delegates gathered for the party’s 5th annual general assembly (AGM) in Kuala Lumpur.

“I would like to challenge the MACC to investigate Anwar and Zahid.

“Both of them are the presidents of PKR and Umno, respectively. Didn’t they also receive political funding from businesspersons?” he asked.

Muhyiddin, who touted his 50 years in politics, stressed that political parties do not operate businesses to generate income to finance party activities and election campaigns.

“Therefore, the main source of political party funds is donations from party members and supporters – including businesspeople, tycoons, and philanthropists who support the party’s cause,” the former prime minister said.

Muhyiddin also pointed out how Umno, prior to GE15, had led the federal government and five states, while Pakatan Harapan controlled four states.

“Didn’t Umno receive any political donations from entrepreneurs? […] Didn’t PKR and DAP receive any political donations from entrepreneurs too?” he questioned.

He said while Anwar initially accused Bersatu of accepting funds linked to gambling activities, to allegedly tarnish the party’s reputation among its Malay supporters, his subsequent charges were instead linked to tycoon Syed Mokhtar Al-Bukhary.

“A large portion of the fund received by Bersatu was from Syed Mokhtar Al-Bukhary, my good friend who I have known for a long time.

“I do not think his donation to Bersatu came from gambling money. He is not a gambling tycoon,” said Muhyiddin.

The Pagoh MP said while there were many reports lodged by Bersatu members for MACC to probe their rival parties’ source of funds, so far, only Bersatu had been subjected to investigations.

“The only person charged is me, as Bersatu president. Other parties and their presidents are exempted from being probed or charged.

“Is this not a form of selective prosecution?” he questioned.

‘Biggest achievement is charging me’

Muhyiddin also claimed Malaysians in general branded the government as a failure with no significant achievements recorded during its first 100 days in power.

“It is not us (Bersatu) that said they failed. But it is the rakyat.

“Maybe their biggest achievement so far is to charge me in court. That’s all. The rest? Yilek! (Nothing!),” he said.

The issue of alleged political prosecution against Bersatu has been a central theme at the party’s AGM, with numerous leaders making the call for solidarity and to rise against what has been described as an “unholy alliance” among parties in the government.  MKINI

MKINI

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