YOURSAY | ‘If all these politicians do not do it what does that tell you?’

Asset declaration: Why should civil servants go first?

Pink: As a civil servant, I have had to declare my assets since time immemorial.

Once, my declaration was rejected because I did not put the value and the lot number of a small piece of land left by my grandfather (I could not trace the land grant), I had to write down the account number of my Amanah Saham Nasional Bhd (ASNB) and got to update the declaration every year as well.

I held a position involving research and training, not in approving projects.

I used to drive a Proton Tiara, then an Axia and lived in a lower middle-class area.

I have never heard of anybody holding the same position as I was being charged for corruption because the opportunity to do so is absolutely zero.

And yet I have been harassed yearly by the human resources department about updating my asset declaration. It’s such a waste of time.

Yet the biggest corruption scandals in this country occur amongst politicians, the least trusted group of people.

They are reluctant to declare their assets. We truly understand that because no crooks would want to declare their assets.

Asset declaration policy is stupid and not involving politicians is hypocritical and farcical.

OrangePanther1466: I am all for transparency and integrity. However, for the sake of discussion, I feel that mandatory asset declaration is outdated and does not serve its purpose.

There are so many ways a person can hide his wealth, making any declaration inadequate.  

The key to combating corruption is diligent enforcement without fear or favour.

With the latest technologies, including artificial intelligence, a person’s wealth, spending patterns, lifestyle, and so on, can be determined with a few strokes of the keyboard.

Efficient intelligence gathering, better whistleblower protection and even rewards may be a better deterrent to corruption.

As it stands now, this asset declaration initiative is like a millstone on Pakatan Harapan’s neck as yet another example of an unfulfilled promise.

MS: Why does former deputy international trade and industry minister Ong Kian Ming want former civil servants to declare their assets first?  

Elected politicians have a lot to hide. Declaring their assets would prick their bubble of propriety and expose their indulgences.  

Still, I must say that getting civil servants to declare theirs is not a bad idea.  

The problem is that those scrutinising the declarations could also be civil servants. And you can guess what that will lead to.

Anyway, with Jakim, instructed by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, looming over all departments and agencies, chances are the Malaysian civil service will overtake Singapore’s - which coincidentally has just been ranked by Oxford University as the world’s best on multiple counts.  

There’s one problem though - Singapore is not an Islamic state. So I guess it is not worth emulating.

GreenHare9358: This declaration of assets is important.

All those in government and civil service in charge of managing the country’s wealth and resources should declare.

It should be voluntary for elected politicians sitting at the highest level of the nation’s government.

If they have a conscience, they should be an example for those below them to follow. 

Our politicians seem to have “exemplary values” when they are not in power, barking incessantly at those who are in power for refusing to declare their assets.

Mgpowl: Good question, but it can’t be a one-off requirement. Everyone holding public office must declare their assets.

It should not be a request but a law which, for reasons best known to this self-professed reformist of a prime minister, just can’t deliver.

Subang MP Wong Chen, your position in your constituency is safe because it is a Chinese-majority seat and pro-Harapan.

I’m in your constituency and, to get my vote, I want to hear you expose everything unconstitutional about this government.

Anonymous_3f4b: Wong is protecting his kind. It is the politicians, especially on the government side, especially the ministers, deputies, secretaries, and MPs that must declare their assets first openly, publicly, and transparently and be accountable for every sen that they take from the public coffers.

Once they have the gumption and the moral guts to do it as “leadership by example”, then the civil service must follow as a matter of course. 

If all these politicians do not do it what does that tell you? 

BlueCougar1744: Just request our Agong to pass a Royal decree that all MPs must declare their assets or they will be denied the role of an MP.

The Election Commission must ensure all candidates for both state and parliamentary seats declare their assets before contesting.

Do it before the next state or general election.

Cogito Ergo Sum: I thought civil servants were already required to declare their assets annually.

Wong is out of date. It’s the MPs who seem reluctant to declare their assets.

From all the latest news reports, lawmakers seem to be embroiled in one of the worst cases of corruption involving state property, land, and resources.

RedWolf4463: All those who want their wealth to be hidden and not subject to public scrutiny should get out and stay out of politics.

Only the really clean ones can then implement the declaration of assets to every level of government.

Drngsc: Everybody who takes public money must declare their assets annually. No ifs, no buts, please.  

Who does it first or second is not crucial.

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