160 MPs have declared assets, says Dewan Rakyat Speaker

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 5 — Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Mohamad Arif MD Yusof today confirmed that 160 MPs have declared their assets following a motion approved earlier in July this year.

Majority of the 160 MPs were from the Pakatan Harapan (PH) and Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS), while three were from Barisan Nasional (BN) and three others respectively from Parti Sarawak Bersatu, Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah and Parti Sabah Bersatu.

“62 others have not submitted their declaration forms,” Arif said in a statement.

The largest group of the 62 MPs were from Umno (36), MCA (Tangjung Piai MP Wee Jeck Seng who was only recently sworn in on November 18), MIC (1), PAS (36) and the rest from GPS, STAR and two independent MPs (Bukit Gantang MP Datuk Syed Abu Hussin Hafiz Syed Abdul Fasal and Kimanis MP Datuk Seri Anifah Aman).

In July, the Parliament had approved a motion compelling MPs from both sides of the political divide, as well as their wives and children, to declare assets through a voice vote.

The motion was unanimously approved despite intense objection from Opposition MPs.

Among some of the objections came from Pasir Salak MP Datuk Seri Tajuddin Abdul Rahman who said lawmakers have a fundamental right to privacy.

He argued that Opposition lawmakers were not government officials with the power to award contracts, effectively precluding opportunities for them to be corrupt.

PAS deputy president Datuk Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man also objected, saying that Islam purportedly does not allow the declaration of wealth as it would raise security concerns.

In reply to the objections, de facto law minister Liew Vui Keong, said that the government is also in the midst of drafting a Bill for mandatory asset declaration.

Today is the deadline for all MPs to submit their declaration form, after an extended deadline.

The statutory declaration should have been submitted to the Dewan Rakyat Speaker in a period of three months from the date the motion was agreed upon (July 1) and be copied to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief.