Media statement by Teo Nie Ching, Member of Parliament for Kulai on 8 July 2020
If Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin is serious about adopting the National Anti Corruption Plan (NACP), he should start by with making it compulsory for all Ministers and Deputies declare their assets.
NACP was launched in 2019. In the Statement of Vision, Tun Dr. Mohamed Mahathir stated that:
“Before 9th May 2018, most Malaysians were disgusted with the rampant corruption in the country involving the Government which was internationally described as a kleptocracy. They expressed their disgust through the ballot box leading to the change of Government, removing a party/coalition which had ruled the nation since independence. It is therefore imperative for the new Government to always be reminded that the single most burning issue which was capable of bringing down a 61-year old Government was its corrupt practice.”
It is a mockery that now Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin chose to work hand in hand with those who are directly implicated in kleptocracy in order to form a government.
Having said that, assets declaration is one of the 22 priority initiatives from the six key strategies relating to integrity, transparency and accountability of political actors, public administration, Government procurement, law enforcement, legal and judicial, and the corporate entity’s governance in NACP.
It was reported that the Muhyiddin Yassin’s directive on March 11 at the first Cabinet meeting of the new government was that all Cabinet members should declare their assets within one month. After nearly four (4) months, an assets declaration by the cabinet members are still nowhere to be seen.
As mentioned in NACP report, some of the efforts such as to create transparency in asset declarations were not followed through its implementation. This is mainly due to lack of political will as the main factor hindering the initiatives planned back then in addressing issues of corruption.
Is the current Prime Minister trying to repeat the same mistake like BN did before?
Teo Nie Ching,
Member of Parliament for Kulai.
