DAP elected representatives are willing to publicly declare their assets if required by law, for they do not agree with proposal for making "secret declarations" before the MACC.

NONE DAP publicity chief Tony Pua called this "secret" proposal by the MACC's consultation and corruption prevention panel flawed because of the MACC's past record.

"In principle, the DAP completely agrees that the declaration of assets by elected representatives of the Parliament and state assemblies is a positive move 'to ensure integrity', to increase scrutiny and to curb corruption.

"However, given MACC's complete lack of credibility and its penchant to act as the cat's paw of BN, we cannot agree with the terms or rely on MACC as the sole arbiter of whether an elected representative is living beyond his or her means," Pua said in a statement.

Over the past five years, he said, the MACC had shown incompetence in hauling in "big fish" within BN, but was more inclined to go on a witch hunt against Pakatan Rakyat leaders.

Among others, Pua cited an incident in which then MACC chief Ahmad Said Hamdan publicly claimed that he had evidence of corruption against Selangor Menteri Besar Abdul Khalid Ibrahim, just prior to the Hulu Selangor by-election.

NONE Hamdan ( right ) later apologised in court and in several newspapers, while Khalid was re-appointed as the menteri besar for his second term.

Another example cited by Pua was the investigation against several Selangor Pakatan elected representatives, which ultimately resulted in the death of Teoh Beng Hock.

"What is most galling is the fact that the officers directly responsible for Teoh's death have since been promoted for their deeds," said Pua.

Pua said that these incidents showed that MACC only served the interests of BN and it would be pointless to address asset declarations to it because the anti-corruption body would likely scrutinise Pakatan members and not those from the BN.

‘DAP already leading the way'

Instead, Pua proposed that the advisory panel advises the prime minister to compel all elected representatives to declare their assets.

"And if the panel finds such a requirement too onerous, it should, at the very least, require all federal ministers as well as state exco members to declare their assets publicly," he said.

He said all DAP elected representatives had already signed an integrity pledge on May 11 to publicly declare their assets upon appointment in government positions and that this was already practised in Selangor and Penang, prior to the 13th general election.

"I, for one, am prepared to declare assets publicly because I know whatever assets that are in my possession have been earned honestly, without a single sen obtained from taxpayers' monies via corrupt means.

"Anything less than 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."