COMMENT | In November last year, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission launched a dedicated web portal which published the assets and income of Pakatan Harapan and Warisan lawmakers, as well as members of administeration.

The information contained in the portal included information on the income received by the lawmaker and the total assets held under his or her name, as well as their spouses. It also included income and asset declarations for the political secretaries of the various ministries.

This is one of the more significant measures taken by the government to ensure good governance and transparency. The asset and income declaration by government lawmakers and members of the administration was a policy decision, as at that time there was no specific law to compel it.

Then in July of this year, members of the Dewan Rakyat and the Dewan Negara approved motions to compel Members of Parliament and Senators to declare their income and assets...