MALAYSIA-Bersatu Lodges Election Spending Complaint Against Gov't Parties

One of the parties comprising the main opposition Perikatan Nasional (PN) alliance has lodged a report with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) alleging "lavish" expenditure during the November 2022 general election campaign. The Malay nationalist Bersatu alleges that the centre-left Pakatan Harapan (PH) alliance of PM Anwar Ibrahim and its junior coalition partner, the centre-right Barisan Nasional (BN) alliance, had overspent on campaigning materials as well as used a "luxury helicopter" to ferry Anwar around the country during the campaign.

• Head of the Bersatu party in the city of Puchong Mohd Shukor Mustaffa stated that: "We hope that a comprehensive investigation by MACC can be carried out on PH and BN, especially against Anwar and his family,"
• The allegations from Bersatu come as the party itself is also under investigation by the MACC, with some accounts frozen. The New Straits Times reported earlier this week, "Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin reiterated that the party did not receive any funds from the economic stimulus package and that the party's financials were all in order and had been audited. He said the three-month freeze order issued by the MACC would hamper the operations of the party, including payment of staff salaries, rentals and other financial commitments."
• Bersatu officials have claimed that the MACC investigations are intended to hamper the party's election campaign in Selangor state (in which Puchong sits), which are due to take place by May.