Deadlines extended for asset declaration, IPCMC recommendations

PARLIAMENT | Amidst reluctance from many opposition lawmakers, the deadline for all MPs to declare their assets has been extended to Dec 5.

The motion for the new deadline was tabled by Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Liew Vui Keong during the Dewan Rakyat sitting this morning.

“In accordance with the principles of accountability and transparency, all Dewan Rakyat members should declare their assets, including assets belonging to their spouses, children and trustees of any statutory accounts.

“... These accounts should have been presented to the Dewan Rakyat Speaker three months after it was first tabled.

“We have now decided to extend the deadline for MPs to present their accounts and declaring their assets to no later than Thursday, Dec 5,” said the de facto law minister.

The motion was passed.

The original asset declaration motion was passed on Jul 1 with an Oct 1 deadline. The declaration comes under the Statutory Declaration Act 1960.

MPs who fail to do so risk being referred to the Parliamentary Rights and Privileges Committee under Meeting Rule 80. False declarations are subject to Section 199 of the Penal Code, punishable under Section 193 which provides for a maximum three-year sentence and a fine upon conviction.

Thus far, most Pakatan Harapan MPs have declared their assets to the MACC while Umno and PAS MPs have remained defiant against the ruling.

The opposition previously decided en bloc against declaring their assets, claiming the government had no legal basis to compel them to do so.

Some, like Umno’s Kinabatangan MP Bung Moktar Radin, view the ruling as an invasion of personal privacy.

IPCMC recommendations tabled tomorrow

Meanwhile, Liew also tabled a motion to extend the deadline for the Parliamentary Special Select Committee on the Consideration of Bills to table its recommendations on the Independent Police Complaints of Misconduct Commission (IPCMC) Bill 2019 to tomorrow (Wednesday, Nov 27).

The original deadline was yesterday (Nov 25).

“The special select committee is finalising its findings and recommendations. They will present a statement comprising its suggestions to improve the IPCMC bill to the Dewan Rakyat no later than Nov 27,” he said.

The long-awaited bill was tabled in the Dewan Rakyat back in July.

It was later referred to the committee for it to hold public consultations on the law.

Lawmakers on the bipartisan committee are Rusnah Aluai (Tangga Batu), Su Keong Siong (Kampar), Larry Sng (Julau), Wilfred Madius Tangau (Tuaran), Azalina Othman Said (Pengerang) and Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar (Santubong).

The committee is chaired by Ramkarpal Singh (Bukit Gelugor). - Mkini