GEORGE TOWN, Nov 12 — Penang Pakatan Harapan (PH) state assemblymen will publicly declare their assets every two years, said Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow.
The Penang lawmaker said it is too tedious for all 37 PH assemblymen to declare their assets every year.
“So, maybe, the asset declaration can be conducted every two years — at the start of the term, in the middle of the term and at the end of the term — so that the media can compare from the start to the end,” he said during a press conference today.
Chow today announced the asset declaration of three state executive councillors and 21 PH assemblyman as at May 31.
He said only new assemblymen and new state executive councillors declared their assets this time, as second- or third-term assemblymen had already done so last April.
“The other 13 assemblymen have already declared their assets as at January 31 this year,” he said.
Chow said this is the fourth time that the asset declaration for PH assemblymen has been held.
The first asset declaration was held in 2011 involving only the state executive councillors.
In 2013, the state government decided that all PH assemblymen will have to publicly declare their assets.
“Independent auditor, Grant Thornton, has been appointed to audit the asset declaration,” he said.
The list of asset declarations by the assemblymen is available on the state government’s portal, penang.gov.my, under the title “Popular Topic”.
Meanwhile, Chow announced the contribution of RM81,159.63 to Tabung Harapan from the pay cuts of all 11 state executive councillors.
The state government, on May 31, decided to cut 10 per cent of the 11 state exco’s salaries, including Chow’s, to be contributed to Tabung Harapan.
Chow said the sum was collected between June and November this year.
