Seven national trade and industry organisations today voiced their support for the government’s proposed political financing reforms, but stressed that no enterprise should be victimised for backing any party.

Corporate bodies should enjoy the fundamental right of being able to support or donate to any political party, said the Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers (FMM) president Saw Choo Boon, who represents the seven bodies.

The business community acknowledges that political parties need funds to operate, and this must be subjected to transparency, accountability and disclosure, he said.

“At the same time, the freedom to support and donate to a political party is a fundamental liberty that must be maintained.

“Therefore, we need to have a system that balances between the need for transparency and the need to protect individual or corporate donors against victimisation when a donation is made to any political party,” he told a press conference in Wisma FMM at Sri Damansara this morning.

The press conference was attended by the representatives of Malay Businessmen and Industrialists Association of Malaysia (Perdasama), Associated Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Malaysia (ACCCIM), SME Association of Malaysia, Malaysian Plastics Manufacturers Association (MPMA), Malaysian Employers Federation (MEF) and The Malaysian Iron and Steel Industry Federation (MISIF).

Any donation, Saw added, must be on a voluntary basis and capped at a limit.

“There is a need to ensure that nobody can be explicitly or implicitly compelled to make donations to any political party.”

Perdasama vice-president Naim Mohamad echoed Saw’s views on victimisation based on political affiliation.

“We agree, corporate donors should not become scapegoats. People are free to donate or support any political party.”

Donate to both to play safe

According to Naim, it is a current practice for corperations to donate to both parties to “play safe”.

“The practice now is I give one party some money, I give another party some money. So that whichever party wins, I am safe.

“(Should the reform goes), I think in future you don't need to play safe. If you think one party is eligible to govern you just donate and you are protected.”

Agreeing with Naim, Saw said the reform will increase the industry's competitiveness, reduce corporate cost and unfair competition.

On the issue of minister in the Prime Minister's Department Rahman Dahlan's plan to blacklist pro-Bersih enterprises and law firms, Saw said the trade group opposed suppressing citizens' liberty on their choice of political parties.

“We are against any victimisation of citizens' choice of political party. We believe citizens have the fundamental right to support based on his or her principle.”

However, he stressed the trade group did not support Bersih or its opponent, the red-shirts.

“We are not discussing the political affiliation.”

Suppressing dissent undemocratic

Meanwhile, MPMA secretary general Eddie Fong, who was present, criticised any suppression of dissent against democracy.

“In democracy, the right to dissent is a fundamental right. You can have the right to disagree.

“If anyone make the statement to suppress this right of dissent, then you are undemocratic. I think you can make the right conclusion.”

Rahman Dahlan, who is in charge of the Economic Planning Unit, said Putrajaya is mulling to blacklist law firms and corporations who have contracts with government-linked companies and federal government, who support Bersih.

This comes after Bersih anounced it is having nationwide tours and to hold a mega rally on Nov 19.