MIC leaders support asset declaration for GE candidates

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 12 – MIC leaders today expressed their support for calls to have candidates declare their assets when contesting in the coming elections, even as the issue of fighting corruption becomes a core campaign point for political parties.

Last Sunday, leaders from opposition party PAS said their candidates in Pahang and Selangor would disclose their assets, in a move that upped the pressure on their political foe Barisan Nasional (BN) to be equally transparent.

Datuk S.K. Devamany (picture), the party’s vice-president, told reporters there was “no problem”, pointing out that he had as a deputy prime minister already declared his assets to the prime minister’s department.

“Can. What’s wrong? If our hearts are pure, our minds are clean, why scared?” Devamany said today in reply to a question on whether election candidates should also declare their assets.

MIC Treasurer-General Datuk Jaspal Singh said that it is a “good move”, but stressed that the calibre of an election candidate would also be important.

“In today’s age, declaring the asset is not the only thing about the candidate, one should look at the calibre of the candidate.

“Even if you declare assets, how are you sure, people’s assets can be in many places, some is with your family, some with your wife. So I think calibre of candidate is more important,” he told The Malaysian Insider when asked to comment.

He also said that even without an asset declaration, the people would be able to observe and find out through the internet.

“I think it’s a good move. My view is in this technology (age), if someone is a candidate, even if you don’t declare, people already know what kind of person you are. If you are someone with no assets, they know you have no assets. If you gain assets next time, they know where the assets come from.”

“The candidate’s asset is already known by the people, so easy to find out, nowadays with internet you can search ...” Jaspal said.
MIC lawmaker P. Kamalanathan said he personally welcomed the idea, adding that a declaration of a candidate’s health would also be a good idea.

“I’m all for it. I’m absolutely supporting not only asset declaration but medical report of candidate, whether he’s healthy and fit.”

The Hulu Selangor MP noted that the idea did not come from PAS, but said it was “very good” when pointed out that some of PAS leaders wanted to put the plan into action.

“It was not their suggestion. It was a suggestion put up by the electoral reform committee,” Kamalanathan, who was a member of the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) on electoral reform, said.

When asked if there was any news on whether the recommendation would be acted upon, he said that it has been passed on to the Election Commission (EC), which will implement some of the recommendations.