MACC panel wants all elected reps to declare assets

The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission's (MACC) Consultation and Corruption Prevention Panel has proposed that all elected representatives in Parliament and state assemblies should declare their assets to it every three years, "to ensure integrity in government administration".

"This will reinforce their commitment to the fight against corruption. By doing so, doubts about their assets during their term as elected representatives can be overcome," said committee chairperson Johan Jaafar (left) in a statement today.

At present, only members of the cabinet and Prime Minister Mohd Najib Abdul Razak's administration have declared their assets to the MACC.

BN candidates who contested in the 13th general election have also been subjected to MAC screening for graft.

Opposition candidates did not do so, but all exco members of Pakatan-held Selangor and Penang have declared their assets.

The panel believes that such a move will also protect the interests of the parties involved in the event of allegations about their positions and "wealth" during their tenure with the government.
Additional measures

As further measures to root out and prevent corruption, the panel also proposes:

- That family members of cabinet ministers, deputy ministers, menteris besar, chief ministers and state executive councillors be barred from bidding for government contracts with immediate effect; and

- That a cooling-off period be enforced before retired civil servants are allowed to take on corporate positions, to avoid undue abuse of influence and knowledge of inner government workings.

The measures are necessary, argued the panel, as corruption was one of the key issues raised during the general election campaign.

The panel believes that the Najib administration must take into account all views, criticism and allegations from various quarters and address the public perception that it is a corrupt government.

"Although a section of these views, criticism and allegations did not have a strong basis or were merely perceptions, they were used as grounds to allege that the government is not transparent, clean and does not have integrity."

The panel also lauded the appointment of Paul Low Seng Kuan, the president of Transparency International-Malaysia as Minister in the Prime Minister's Department, responsible for anti-corruption matters.

"We are always ready to cooperate with (him) to root out corruption to ensure good governance and integrity."