No laws exist requiring donations to be vetted, says ex-auditor

Walter Sandosam, a former member of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission's (MACC) oversight panel, clarified that there are no existing laws mandating the vetting of donations. This revelation comes in response to a request from Umno to scrutinize funds raised to assist former Prime Minister Najib Razak in paying a RM50 million fine.

Sandosam emphasized that the donation drive initiated by Umno in September was a private endeavor, with no coercion or mandatory disclosure of contributors involved. The former auditor further highlighted that only the donors themselves can demand an audit of the funds collected, but pointed out that there was no obligation for transparency from the outset.

Sandosam also criticized Tony Pua of the opposition Democratic Action Party (DAP) for bringing up the issue of auditing donations after the amount had already been gathered. He argued that such a demand appeared opportunistic rather than genuine. Sandosam concluded by emphasizing the significance of enacting a political finance bill, which could address such concerns and ensure greater transparency in political contributions.