PKR candidates declare assets, but Anwar's still missing

Like PKR deputy president Rafizi Ramli, most of the party’s 72 parliamentary candidates for the 15th general election (GE15) have published their asset declarations.

However, conspicuously missing from the party’s candidate website are the asset declarations of party president Anwar Ibrahim and his wife Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, which are currently marked “to be updated”.

Anwar (above) is contesting Tambun in Perak while Wan Azizah is contesting Bandar Tun Razak in Kuala Lumpur.

Party secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution Ismail’s asset declaration is also marked “to be updated”. He is defending his seat in Kulim Bandar Baharu, Kedah.

All PKR candidates are required to declare their assets to the party, but the decision to publish them is unprecedented.

However, PKR is not a pioneer in this regard, with PSM candidates having publicly declared their assets since the 1999 general election.

Last week, BN’s Sungai Buloh candidate Khairy Jamaluddin dismissed Rafizi’s move to declare his assets and said this is only necessary for cabinet appointments.

Some declarations are more opaque

The asset declarations published on the PKR website are notarised and signed declarations appended with a form detailing their sources of income, investments, expenses, assets and liabilities.

Candidates also declare the number of spouses and children they have and vow they have never abused any public position to enrich themselves.

While the declarations must be notarised by a commissioner of oaths, there does not seem to be auditing on whether the candidates had provided all the details required.

PKR’s Sungai Siput candidate S Kesavan, for example, only declared that he has net assets of RM981,500 but did not provide any detail of what they are or the sources.

Hulu Selangor candidate Dr Sathia Prakash Nadarajan, 44, also declared the lumpsum net asset of RM40 million, but the medical doctor did not include the form showing the breakdown.

Sungai Buloh candidate, R Ramanan, meanwhile, avoided providing details of his assets, liabilities, and expenses, providing a lump sum figure instead - RM63.5 million in net assets.

The 41-year-old declared total sums for each category of assets including RM4 million in jewellery, RM27 million in “residences”, RM8.5 million in cars and motorcycles, and RM3.5 million in shares and insurance investment schemes.

This is unlike Rafizi, who notes the type of properties and sources of his income, some details of which have provided fodder for his rivals.

Although required in the form, Ramanan did not detail how much he had in savings, fixed deposits, Employees Provident Fund accounts, and other deposits, and only provided a sum figure of RM23 million.

It is unclear how Ramanan amassed his fortune because, unlike many other PKR candidates, his published biodata does not state his work experience and only shows his education and political background.

Unlike others, like Saifuddin whose biodata reflects his time in Umno, Ramanan’s biodata only mentions his position in PKR and is silent on his time in MIC, where he once held the position of treasurer-general.

Ramanan is not the only one with details missing in their biodata. Tapah candidate K Saraswathy and Lenggong candidate Jurey Latiff Mohd Rosli’s biodata are not available on the page at all.

MBs declare net assets under RM1m

One candidate who went into as much detail as Rafizi in declaring their assets is Selangor Menteri Besar Amirudin Shari, who declared net assets of RM639,273.

The Gombak candidate included the lot numbers of his properties, all of which are worth RM1.7 million and were purchased from 2014 to 2020. He lists a bank loan for RM620,000 for one of them.

His assets also include three cars - a RM250,000 Lexus bought on loan in 2020, a Proton Wira bought in 2006, and a Proton Exora bought in 2013.

Negeri Sembilan Menteri Besar Aminuddin Harun also provided the lot numbers of his six real estate properties, worth a total RM970,000.

Five were purchased between 1991 and 2020, while one is an inherited real estate property worth RM220,000.

The Port Dickson candidate also detailed the types of vehicles he owns - a Toyota Hilux, two Protons and a Yamaha motorcycle, worth a total of RM190,000 and mostly purchased on loans.

The MB has personal and car loans of RM934,096.05 and makes RM83,029 monthly from allowances as MB, assemblyperson and as a board member of state bodies.

He also makes an RM6,626 monthly contribution to PKR, just slightly more than what he pays in monthly income tax contributions.

Asset declarations a Harapan reform

Similarly, Nurul Izzah Anwar, who is the PKR president’s daughter, itemised her assets and expenses as required.

The Permatang Pauh candidate, 41, declared RM808,761 in net assets, including an RM1 million house for which she is still paying a mortgage and a Proton car worth RM94,000, bought on loan.

The PKR vice-president also detailed her monthly expenses, including an RM3,000 monthly contribution to the party.

Arau candidate Fathin Amelina Fazlie, 28, is the only one with more debts than assets. This first-time candidate's total liabilities of RM65,971.32 - made up of a student loan and car loan - surpassed her assets by about RM15,000.

Public asset declarations for MPs were among reforms brought in by the Pakatan Harapan government, but were criticised for lack of auditing and being too vague.

Before that, cabinet ministers declared their assets to the prime minister, who also shares this information with enforcement bodies like the MACC.

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