‘Govt officials to declare assets soon’

> Ministers, MPs will be doing so once code of ethics amended in Cabinet: Abu Kassim

PUTRAJAYA: Ministers and government lawmakers can expect to have their assets declared within the next few weeks once amendments to the government’s code of ethics is passed in the Cabinet.

National Centre for Governance, Integrity and Anti-Corruption (GIACC) director-general Tan Sri Abu Kassim Mohamed ( pix) said the amendments to the code of ethics have been agreed upon by the Cabinet Select Committee on AntiCorruption and would be tabled to the Cabinet soon.

“It will be finalised in a few weeks, and the final draft will be presented to the Cabinet.

“Once completed, they can start declaring (their assets),” he said after attending the Enforcement Agency Integrity Commission (EAIC) monthly assembly yesterday.

Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad had on Tuesday said all ministers, including the prime minister and his deputy, along with government MPs would be required to declare their assets in an effort to ensure transparency within the government.

Asked how this asset declaration was different to the previous practise by the Barisan Nasional (BN) government, Abu Kassim said the current practice would require the assets to be declared to the MACC, and not to the prime minister alone.

On whether the asset declarations should be made public, he said: “Let the code of ethics amendments be finalised first in Cabinet.”

Meanwhile, Abu Kassim said the public could expect to see huge results in the fight against corruption in the government within the next five years, once the Anti-Corruption Action Plan is established.

He said the plan is currently being formulated with feedback being obtained from relevant agencies.

“This plan will include items that have been mentioned by the Pakatan Harapan election manifesto on ways to reform the government.

“We are also looking into the report by the United Nations Convention against Corruption where they have recommended a few steps we have to take to improve our compliance,” he said.