Aliran has produced a detail financial report to refute the allegation by Bank Negara's former assistant governor Abdul Murad Khalid that it received funding from sacked deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim.

Subramaniam S. Pillay, who is in charge of Aliran's finances, said the accusation was "a total lie and fabrication".

Murad, in a statutory declaration sworn on Oct 26, alleged that Aliran and its former president Chandra Muzaffar received RM5 million from Anwar sometime between 1992 and 1997.

"We are proud to say that we have not received a single cent from any Barisan Nasional organisation, let alone from Anwar Ibrahim, in the form of an operating or development grant," said Subramaniam, who is Aliran's hononary treasurer.

He added that the organisation's main source of revenue was from the sale of its monthly magazine, Aliran Monthly , as well as small donations from its readers, instead of corporate figures or the government.

"Our policy has been one of financial self-reliance from the very beginning," Subramaniam said. "We knew that to maintain our independence we should not become financially dependent on any one source."

Aliran had published its financial statements over the past eight years in the latest issue of Aliran Monthly . Subramaniam said that except for 1998 and 1999, the organisation had incurred operating deficits.

"However, the donations from the members and public had compensated for the deficit," he said.

The bulk of the organisation's revenue came from the sale of its publications which had increased substantially in the past two years.

Attributing the sudden surge in sales of Aliran Monthly to the Anwar episode, Subramanian was quick to add that "we are sure this is not what Murad meant when he alleged that Anwar helped Aliran!"

Subramaniam also added that the new office building presently occupied by the organisation which cost RM438,263.10 was funded through donations from three sources: its members, the public and Misereor, a Catholic foundation from Germany.

"Misereor's donations, spread over four years totalling RM182,447.96, made up less than 42% of the cost of the building project. The rest came from the readers of Aliran Monthly and our own members," he said.

He added that no single donation from individuals had exceeded RM2,500 per year.

"From the financial statements, one can see that we do not need RM5 million from Anwar or anybody else to keep operating," Subramaniam added.

Murad, he said, had not produced "one iota of evidence to back his allegation".

"Anybody can claim anything but for it to be true, it has to be backed by irrefutable evidence," he added.

Aliran, a reform movement established in 1977, is an NGO dedicated to pursuing justice and freedom. Guided by universal spiritual values, the organisation has been striving for genuine unity by promoting social justice and human dignity in Malaysia.

Aliran had filed a defamation suit in the Kuala Lumpur High Court against Murad on Nov 24.