'BN pledge not enough, declare assets now’
While Sarawak BN’s move to sign an integrity pledge yesterday is laudable, elected representatives in the ruling coalition should take it a step further and declare their assets, anti-corruption watchdog Transparency-International Malaysia (TI-M) said.
PKR’s Pandan MP Rafizi Ramli was the only one to made the declaration after challenges were thrown last month.
Cabinet Khairy Jamaluddin said cabinet members already declare assets to the prime minister, DAP said there is no need for all reps to declare assets while PAS said it will do it if BN does.
While Sarawak BN’s move to sign an integrity pledge yesterday is laudable, elected representatives in the ruling coalition should take it a step further and declare their assets, anti-corruption watchdog Transparency-International Malaysia (TI-M) said.
PKR’s Pandan MP Rafizi Ramli was the only one to made the declaration after challenges were thrown last month.
Cabinet Khairy Jamaluddin said cabinet members already declare assets to the prime minister, DAP said there is no need for all reps to declare assets while PAS said it will do it if BN does.
Among reasons cited for resistance was security concerns, but TI-M president Akhbar Satar said this excuse does not hold water.
"There is nothing to fear in making a public declaration of assets if one has no ill-gotten or unexplained wealth. Personal fears of private safety or their family members if the politicians publicly declare their assets have proven to be unfounded," he said in a statement.
This can only happen if the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009 be amended to give MACC powers to compel asset declaration without a formal investigation, he said.
The bi-partisan parliamentary select committee against corruption has already proposed this, but amendments have yet seen the light of day.
Sarawak BN backbenchers and political secretaries yesterday signed an Election Integrity Pledge to ensure the upcoming Sarawak polls will be clean and fair.
This is similar TI-M’s election pledge initiative for the 13th general election which among others saw candidates pledge not to engage in bribery or other illegal activities.
The voluntary TI-M pledge was signed by PM Najib Abdul Razak, four BN candidates, 20 from STAR, two PKR reps and one each from DAP, PSM and an Independent candidate in 2013.
"Make sure the pledge is worth more than the piece of paper it is written on all stakeholders whether the authorities or civil society should monitor and ensure that there is strict compliance with the terms of the pledge or it will all be for naught," he said.
