The proposed Political Donations and Expenditure Act (PDEA) will not be tabled in Parliament in time for the 14th General Election (GE14), said Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Paul Low.

“It’s quite a complicated issue and it is a completely new act.

“I don’t believe that we will be in time before GE14, but I do believe that we will be in time for the 15th General Election (GE15),” Low said in a press conference today after the launch of a conference titled ‘Democracy in Southeast Asia: Achievements, Challenges and Prospects’ in Kuala Lumpur today.

He was responding to a question from a reporter who had asked when the act would be tabled in Parliament.

The PDEA is one of 32 recommendations by the National Consultative Committee on Political Financing chaired by Low.

The technical committee for political funding is in the process of formulating the new act, he said, and they have just contacted the Attorney-General’s Chambers.

“This is not a simple act. It is a completely new Act and to make it good, it takes time,” he stressed.

When questioned about how corruption related to political financing will be handled in the upcoming GE14, Low said there are existing provisions which could address the issue such as the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act.

Consultations on the PDEA had already been carried out with stakeholders such as members of the public, interest groups, and political parties, he said.

Previously Low had said that the consultations will be completed by the end of 2016.