Anwar Ibrahim has an uphill battle to tackle Malaysia’s money politics

[superadmin]

WHEN Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim was finally sworn in as Malaysia’s latest Prime Minister (PM) last month he was quick to repeat the promise which helped him win office in the first place: to drive corruption out of politics.

“We will never compromise on good governance, the anti-corruption drive, judicial independence and the welfare of ordinary Malaysians,” he said hours after he was sworn in, before leading chants of “Reformasi” — his rallying cry for reform during years of opposition.

Cases such as former deputy prime minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s graft trial and the controversial 1MDB case have shone a spotlight on the darker side of Malaysia’s political financing. The cases have tarnished the country’s reputation and highlighted poor governance and the lack of political will to tackle corruption.

While political donations are legal, there is a risk they can lead to the misappropriation of funds, cronyism and conflicts of interest.

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