MPs yet to declare assets give good excuses

There are certain things in my company which I’m unsure how to declare. Thankfully, I do not hold any government funds so whatever I declare is mine. Dr Michael Teo

PETALING JAYA: From claiming to have forgotten to owning nothing – these are some of the reasons given by a few of the Pakatan Harapan MPs who have yet to declare their assets to the Malaysian AntiCorruption Commission (MACC).

Labuan MP Datuk Rozman Isli, whose name was not listed on the website of those who had declared their assets, said he almost forgot about it as he had been bogged down with work and had to rush to perform the umrah.

The MP from Warisan, which is a Pakatan-friendly party in Sabah, said, however, he was in the midst of doing it and would hand over details for his team to process.

“They’re just waiting for me and I don’t have many assets. Consider it done,” he said.

For Miri MP Dr Michael Teo and his team, the asset declaration forms were a little confusing and he had decided to hire an accountant.

“There are certain things in my company which I’m unsure how to declare.

“Thankfully, I do not hold any government funds so whatever I declare is mine,” said the PKR lawmaker who has been running his own clinic for 45 years.

Yesterday, MACC Deputy Chief Commissioner (Prevention) Datuk Shamsun Baharin Mohd Jamil said 13 MPs from Pakatan and Pakatanfriendly parties had yet to publicly declare their assets.

It also said 24 senior government servants have yet to do so.

He said MACC was in the process of proposing a new law that would make it mandatory for all politicians to declare their assets, expected to be tabled in April.

A check on the MACC asset declaration portal revealed that Batu MP P. Prabakaran had also yet to declare his assets, but the PKR lawmaker insists that he has sent the relevant documents about a month ago.

It is also learnt that state leaders such as Perak Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Ahmad Faizal Azumu and Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal are among those who have yet to make their assets public.

However, Ahmad Faizal’s aide claims that the Tambun MP had his documents signed in the presence of the commissioner of oaths on Dec 6 and are on their way to the MACC.

Mohd Shafie’s camp could not comment by press time.

The portal also showed MPs who have declared their monthly incomes but not assets.

Among them are Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister and Silam MP Datuk Mohamaddin Ketapi and Mas Gading MP Mordi Bimol.

Mohamaddin insists that he does not possess any asset and pointed out that ministers were the first ones to declare their assets.

“I’ve already submitted all relevant documents to the MACC. I’ve submitted the details of my income. I just don’t have any asset,” he said.

DAP’s Mordi also claimed that he had no other assets to declare but his four-wheel drive vehicle.

“I was with the MACC officer when I filled up the form and they did not say anything about the car so I assumed everything was fine during submission,” he said.

However, he said MACC had called him to resubmit one of the forms and that he would include the vehicle this time.

Other Pakatan MPs who have yet to make assets public are Datuk Dr Noor Azmi Ghazali (Bagan Serai), Datuk Abdullah Sani Abdul Hamid (Kapar), Datuk Seri Dr Edmund Santhara (Segamat), Datuk Dr Shahruddin Md Salleh (Sri Gading), Ali Biju (Saratok) and Awang Husaini Sahari (Putatan).