Penang exco members declare assets voluntarily since 2011
Penang’s state exco members have been declaring their assets publicly even without it being made compulsory in the state legislative assembly, said Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow (photo, above).
In an interview with Malaysiakini, Chow said Penang’s state exco members declare their assets every two years, and the information is made public on the state government’s website...
Penang’s state exco members have been declaring their assets publicly even without it being made compulsory in the state legislative assembly, said Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow (above).
In an interview with Malaysiakini, Chow said Penang’s state exco members declare their assets every two years, and the information is made public on the state government’s website.
Chow said the next exercise to declare assets is scheduled for next year. Penang has carried out the exercise since 2011, involving all state exco members.
In 2013, all Pakatan Harapan assemblypersons declared their assets too, while the last exercise was carried out last year, on April 5.
“The exercise is carried out even without the motion to make it compulsory,” Chow said when met in Komtar on Friday.
“We do not see a need for compulsory asset declaration as we have done beyond what is expected of us,” he added.
Chow was responding to a question on making asset declaration compulsory after the Dewan Rakyat approved a special motion last month for all MPs, senators and immediate family members to declare their assets.
They are to declare their assets within a three-month period from the day the motion was approved on July 1.
But not everyone was happy regarding the integrity measures.
Former premier Najib Abdul Razak said it was unfair for opposition lawmakers to declare their assets, as part of it was not derived from their parliamentary allowances.
PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang had described the exercise as a “communist and socialist concept which may have been dreamt up by DAP”, while his deputy Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man said the “act of displaying one’s wealth” is contrary to Islam.
