KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 19 — Putrajaya’s proposal for bi-partisan panel to draft laws on political funding is futile as the government will not pursue those who breach such rules, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said today.

“It's not about setting up committees, so no need to set up committees,” the former prime minister was quoted as saying by news portal The Malaysian Insider.

“Even if investigates him, it will be thrown out,” he said without specifying whom he was referring to, although the news portal indicated the person to be Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.

Last week, Najib announced the formation of the committee to gather input for a law to regulate political funding, saying this was necessary to ensure the country practised “healthy” politics.

Najib denied the idea was a result of the furore over the RM2.6 billion donation deposited into this personal accounts, and said the panel was a follow-up to his pledge to regulate political funding in 2009.

"If you think receiving money is okay, you can accept it, why not... if that is your attitude, then the society you live in will be a very poor society," the Universiti Teknologi Petronas chancellor said during a lecture at its Seri Iskandar campus today.

The proposed committee to study regulations on political funding has already been hit by a crucial snub, after the Malaysian Bar pledged not to participate until investigations into Najib’s RM2.6 billion donation is concluded.

PKR also called for a boycott of the bipartisan panel, although this has received mixed response from lawmakers.

Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Paul Low dismissed the early criticism of the panel, yesterday saying that it will begin to convene within a fortnight once its composition is finalised.

Low explained that the committee will comprise representatives from the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition and non-BN parties, academics, civil society groups and NGOs.