Cabinet ministers and their next of kin must declare their assets and those who were not prepared to do so must resign, said DAP chairperson Lim Kit Siang today.

The opposition leader said the ministers must support Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's pledge to eradicate corruption.

He was responding to the premier's reminder to the ministers at their first cabinet meeting yesterday since the general election to uphold integrity and dignity.

"DAP lauds the prime minister for his clarion call to the new ministers to maintain personal integrity and stay away from corruption or face the full consequences of the law.

"Although Abdullah's first cabinet (line-up) announced last Saturday failed to live up to public expectations of integrity, Malaysians are prepared to give Abdullah another chance..." he said in a press statement.

New culture

He added there was a "general sense of relief" because despite appointing a "most disappointing" cabinet, the premier made it clear that he would not protect the corrupt and indolent.

In view of this, he said the ministers must pro-actively promote the new culture of political integrity and not merely be at the receiving end of Abdullah's reminders.

"I believe Abdullah personally supports the proposition that all cabinet ministers should publicly declare their assets and their next-of-kin... but he is unable to adopt and implement such a measure because not all his cabinet ministers are prepared for such a public declaration..." noted the Ipoh Timor parliamentarian.