DAP agrees to reveal assets publicly, rubbishes ‘secret declaration’ to MACC

Pua said “secret declarations” to the MACC will allow the commission to selectively scrutinise only opposition lawmakers. — File picKUALA LUMPUR, May 22 ― The DAP’s elected representatives are prepared to declare their assets in public and disagreed with a “secret declaration” to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) alone, federal lawmaker Tony Pua said today.

The DAP publicity secretary accused the anti-graft body of lacking credibility and predicted that a secret declaration to it would only result in a witch hunt against all Pakatan Rakyat (PR) MPs and state assemblymen.

The Petaling Jaya Utara MP cited several past cases involving PR leaders in which he said the MACC had behaved unprofessionally and where their “witch hunt” had even led to the death of DAP aide Teoh Beng Hock and, in another incident, a public apology to Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim.

“It is clear that the MACC, while ‘independent’ on paper, serves only the political interest of Barisan Nasional (BN).

“As a result, any declaration of assets solely to MACC is a pointless exercise as MACC will only scrutinise the assets of PR representatives and not that of BN,” he said.

Instead, Pua challenged the MACC’s Consultation and Corruption Prevention Panel (CCPP) to propose that the prime minister make it a requirement for all elected representatives to declare their assets to the public.

He said if the panel found the requirement too onerous, it should at least require all federal ministers and state executive councillors to publicly declare their assets.

“Anything less than a commitment to a blanket public declaration of assets by the prime minister as well as the MACC will prove that they lack the sincerity to tackle corruption, particularly by those in power in this country,” he said.

Pua insisted that the DAP was not fearful of public scrutiny but said the exercise asset declaration should be a fair one.

He noted that all the party’s representatives had signed an integrity pledge on May 11 during its national conference, which had included a clause for the “public declaration of assets once appointed to executive positions of government” whether at federal or state levels.

“The state executive councillors of Penang and Selangor have declared assets publicly,” he pointed out.

“I, for one, am prepared to declare assets publicly because I know whatever assets that is in my possession is earned honestly without a single sen obtained from the tax-payers’ money via corrupt means,” he said.

Pua was responding to the CCPP’s suggestion yesterday for a mandatory declaration of assets by all MPs and state assemblymen at least once in every three years to the MACC, which its chairman Datuk Johan Jaaffar said would help reinforce the commitment of all elected representatives to fight corruption.

“By the same token, the panel fully supports the declaration of assets by members of the Cabinet and administration only to MACC.

“Such a move shows transparency on the part of the government over assets of ministers and their immediate family members.

“It would also protect the interest of other parties in the event of allegations related to their respective positions and ‘wealth’ during their tenure with the government,” he said.

Prior to Election 2013, all BN candidates were made to undergo a strict vetting process, which included checks on their background by the MACC.

Johan had at the time suggested that the anti-graft body makes it compulsory for all political parties to submit their list of candidates for vetting but this was criticised by the Election Commission (EC) as inappropriate as it would purportedly restrict an individual’s right to contest in the polls.