Asset declaration: Mat Sabu reminds PAS, Umno MPs that PH is govt now, policies are for all

SHAH ALAM, Dec 6 ― Parti Amanah Negara (Amanah) president Mohamad Sabu said while the proposal to make asset declaration a mandatory deed was Pakatan Harapan’s (PH) election pledge, it must be abided by all MPs, as PH is the federal government that enacts policies for all.

In a press conference today, the Kota Raja MP reminded that  those who have refused to declare their assets are in violation of a parliamentary motion.

“Of course it is PH’s manifesto and we have since become the government. When we are the government, we table government policies, and all MPs and the people at large, are under the PH government.

“So if they don’t want to declare, then they are violating a decision approved in Parliament. That is not good. Why do they not want, and are scared to declare their assets?

“This is something weird and people will evaluate this,” he told reporters at the party’s national convention held at the Ideal Convention Centre (IDCC) here.

Mohamad was commenting on the refusal by Umno and PAS MPs to declare their assets, as stated by PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang and the federal Opposition chief, Datuk Ismail Sabri Yaakob, at the Umno Annual General Assembly earlier today.

Ismail said Opposition lawmakers refused to comply with the parliamentary motion and called the move an executive interference in the legislature.

The deadline for all lawmakers to declare their assets was yesterday and 62 did not comply.

Ismail described the move as PH government’s attempt to control the affairs of lawmakers.

Abdul Hadi meanwhile said the motion for mandatory asset declarations was unconstitutional.

Yesterday, Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Mohamad Arif Md Yusof confirmed that 160 MPs of the 222 in the House have declared their assets following a motion approved earlier in July this year.

Most of the 160 MPs are from 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.

This leaves 62 from the Opposition who did not declare their assets.