Every MP must declare their assets
PM says opposition lawmakers must be included in National Anti-Corruption Plan
All PH MPs have declared their assets. You can see at MACC website. Razim Mohd Noor
The proposal by the Governance, Integrity and AntiCorruption Centre (GIACC) that the National Anti-Corruption Plan (NACP) includes asset declaration in the Key Performance Indicator (KPI) of ministers and members of Parliament ( MPs) must also cover opposition MPs, says Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
This is because opposition lawmakers also had certain powers including the power to criticise the government, he was quoted as saying in a Bernama report yesterday.
“So, for the ‘fee’, they also must declare their assets,” he said, adding that the government would have to go through the Dewan Rakyat Speaker before the initiative could be implemented.
He also said all ministers must ensure that members of the administration under their ministries declare their assets to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).
When contacted yesterday, director of MACC Sarawak, Razim Mohd Noor confirmed that all Pakatan Harapan MPs have declared their assets and the people can go and check for themselves online at MACC website.
“All PH MPs have declared their assets. You can see at MACC website,” he told The Borneo Post.
However, Razim said MACC is still waiting for a reply from Gabungan Parti Sarawak ( GPS) leaders to declare their assets.
“We are still waiting for GPS MPs to declare. If they are accumulating their wealth legally there is nothing to worry,” he said.
He disclosed that MACC had delivered the asset declaration forms to Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg about two months ago.
Razim pointed out that MACC and Sarawak government have very good relationship which was strengthened when the agency’s former deputy director of enforcement was seconded to the Sarawak government integrity unit to help in the monitoring of corruption.
Earlier, in the Bernama report, Dr Mahathir said that all ministers must draw up and implement a policy on accepting gifts in their ministries.
He said the ministers must sign an undertaking to issue the instruction and ensure the policy on accepting gifts is implemented.
“Now you cannot accept a lot of gifts. When I was the (fourth) prime minister, I received 26 cars, so I returned them. If you want to see, go to (Galeri Perdana) Langkawi,” he said jokingly.
Dr Mahathir said at present members of the administration cannot accept gifts worth more than RM500, but they can accept gifts in the form of food and flowers.
“They wanted to send me one tonne of dodol. They have sent so much so I had to redistribute. I don’t know whether that is corruption or not,” he said in jest.
Dr Mahathir said all ministers must implement the anticorruption plan at their organisations and ensure it is successfully developed.
The ministers must also chair a meeting to enforce governance, integrity and anti-corruption at the ministry level at least twice a year, he said.
He added that every minister must also ensure the transparency of procurement and reduce the risk of corruption in their ministries and make sure that the information of the person who submit the successful tender through the open tender system and approved by the Ministry Procurement Board for all categories of procurement is displayed on the my Procurement portal.
Asked who will monitor these initiatives, Dr Mahathir said the GIACC will carry out checks based on complaints from the public.
He said the JKKMAR meeting will be held each month as the government feels that corruption is a crime which could hinder national development and requires action from various agencies and every member of the administration.
“Everyone plays a role in preventing corruption and must know what they can do to prevent it because we have meetings to check the reports of the progress that has been made,” he said.