Assets declaration: No half-hearted measures, please

Half-hearted measures will not solve the problems of corruption and the restoration of public confidence in the integrity of elected and appointed officials, said Transparency International Malaysia.

“Why should you show us just the tip of the iceberg but not what lies below? If you say you want to be transparent and accountable to the people, half-hearted measures will not solve the problems,” TI Malaysia president Ramon Navaratnam said today.

Navaratnam was commenting on the Selangor governnment’s decision to have its state executive council members declare only “general information” about their assets to the public.

Before the announcement, Menteri Besar Abdul Khalid Ibrahim had explained there were some within the state exco who did not want to declare their assets in public for 'family reasons’.

Contacted today, Navaratnam said it was incumbent on all government officials, from local councillors up to cabinet ministers, to declare their current interests or shares, including in controversial projects.

On his suggestion that public officials declare their net assets acquired only from the time they were sworn in, Navaratnam said this compromise is to ensure the assets declaration initiative is not nipped in the bud by those who perceive it as being too “dramatic”.

Citing the example of Sweden which has a Freedom of Information Act and requires all officials to declare net assets acquired both before and after acquiring public office, Navaratnam said Malaysia does not have as yet a long tradition of accountability and transparency.

“I am just suggesting something which I think is practical and pragmatic. I do not want this (initiative) to stop all because some people would refuse outright to declare everything,” he said.
“Ideally, they should reveal everything. After all, the electorate voted them into government. We should be able to know these things about the people we have chosen,” he added.

Declare to a select group

Democracy and Anti-Corruption Movement (Gerak) chairperson Ezam Mohd Noor had earlier told Malaysiakini a proper asset declaration exercise should include past financial records as current asset declarations alone do not guarantee accuracy.

“It is easy to transfer assets before a declaration. It takes just one day to close an account. All one has to do is maintain one account and make a deflated declaration,” said Ezam.

Addressing this, Navaratnam reiterated an earlier statement that such a declaration of an official’s total wealth may subject him or her to security and safety risks.

Alternatively, said Navaratnam, holders of public positions may also be made to declare their assets to a select group of persons from both government and opposition political parties.

There cannot be any significant reduction in the incidence of corruption unless and until the public are involved in combating the problem, he said.

“It cannot be left solely to the government. Just as crimes, if left completely to the police to tackle, will not decrease, corruption also cannot be reduced unless it becomes a national movement or a truly people’s issue.”