Anwar is READY TO DECLARE HIS ASSETS immediately - what a non-sensical statement, as it Anwar's own government that is YET to do PUBLIC Asset Declarations - the reason was they were working of some NEW FORMAT - and till today there is still NO ASSET DECLARATION.
So, I am calling Anwar out on his statement - PLEASE DECLARE YOUR ASSETS NOW TO ME AND THE MALAYSIAN PUBLIC. I bet Anwar will have his own 'excuse' - maybe he will say he will declare his assets to MACC, to his Cabinet, ...no what we want is for is PUBLIC Asset Declarations.
PUTRAJAYA, Jan 17 (Bernama) – Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said the ministers’ asset declarations must be made in a responsible and transparent manner rather than just a political gimmick....“Declaration of assets was a farce in the past as far as I’m concerned. You can find people having hundreds of millions of ringgit and still declaring RM11 million or RM12 million. So I think what we need to do is to make sure parameters are clear.”He said this when asked whether his Cabinet ministers had declared their assets to him and when it could be made public during the press conference after the 2023 Budget Dialogue Council themed ‘Developing a Madani Nation’ here today.Saying it was shocking, Anwar said that some of the declarations did not represent the real wealth of the particular person after looking at the figures and files. - BERNAMA,17/1/2023, Ministry of Finance Portal
## Anwar again did not answer clearly whether Ministers declared assets or not? We assume that Ministers never declared their assets. Anyway, a better format that reflects the TRUTH better is good. Make it into a LAW - where false declarations are most serious crimes. BUT, the problem is that after 19 MONTHS since that Statement, the new format yet to be out, and MPs and Ministers yet to Publicly Declare their assets - GOOD promises but extremely SLOW implementation, hopefully before GE16..
Anwar tell US, the people of Malaysia,
1) Since you became Prime Minister, how much more money have you accumulated - and, where is it placed, in Malaysian Bank Accounts, Overseas Bank Accounts, Accounts under your family names or under your 'agent's names'? How exactly was this money earned - salary, pensions, investment dividends, bank interest, rental, ...GIFTS from people(who exactly and for what purpose)?
2) Since you became Prime Minister,what are the GIFTS that you received - from foreign and local dignitaries, businesses, companies, etc - disclose the LIST of GIFTS, and why was it given, and what has happened to these gifts?
3) Since you became Prime Minister,how many new shares/stocks in companies and corporations that you acquired or got? Under your name, your family member's names, your 'agents' names, etc?
4) Since you became Prime Minister, how many new houses or land?
5) Did you receive and monies, wealth on behalf of PKR, PH or the Unity Government, or some 'charity"?
6) How much 'POLITICAL DONATIONS' did you receive.
REMEMBER the reason for PUBLIC ASSET DECLARATION is to ensure that people when they assume power do not abuse their power/position to enrich themselves, their family members, their cronnies, their agents... WRONGFULLY or UNLAWFULLY - their wealth and accumulation of wealth must tally with their income be, it salary or other legitimate income like dividends, rental, etc.
That is WHY this 'Asset Declaration' is done immediately after the assume power - and then PERIODICALLY (every 6 months or a year) - so that people can compare to ENSURE no wrongful accumulation of wealth be reason of the power they possess, or abuse of power, etc. IT IS TO DETER WRONGFUL ENRICHMENT whilst in office.
PUBLIC Declaration - this gives the public to also detect LIES - the public can then make known they you did not declare or 'hid' this wealth/monies/etc.
WHO MONITORS? It is best that it is PARLIAMENT - not any agency that the PM has influence over. Parliament, after all, has the role of monitoring the EXECUTIVE(PM, Cabinet and even senior Public Officers), and also other MPs/Senators. It is best that Parliament Committee that plays this role must be made up of majority Opposition MPs, and a lesser number of government backbencher MPs(who has not received any extra 'benefit' from the Executive, be it GLC or some Agency position) - with powers to investigate, summon witnesses,etc...
Anwar, we are not talking about the MACC's power to ask for a declaration of asset under section 36 - Powers to obtain information(Malaysian Anti Corruption Commission Act 2009) . That will, and should only be used if there is 'reasonable ground to believe, based on the investigation carried out by an officer of the Commission, that any property is held or acquired by any person as a result of or in connection with an offence under this Act' - and MACC will use that power according to law, when it needs to.
ASSET DECLARATION IS VERY DIFFERENT, and I believe Anwar knows this, but is trying to be 'smart' or ...'...Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim says is ready to declare his assets immediately should he be investigated...'
We want the PUBLIC ASSET DECLARATION now, not only when MACC is investigating some offence... If MACC, uses section 46 - then MACC has reasonable grounds to believe said Minister/MP committed an offence - so they will all be SUSPECTED CRIMINALS. That is why PUBLIC ASSET DECLARATION is very different from MACC required declarations. Do not abuse MACC or the MACC Act
36 Powers to obtain information[MALAYSIAN ANTI-CORRUPTION COMMISSION ACT 2009]
(1) Notwithstanding any written law or rule of law to the contrary, an officer of the Commission of the rank of Commissioner and above, if he has reasonable ground to believe, based on the investigation carried out by an officer of the Commission, that any property is held or acquired by any person as a result of or in connection with an offence under this Act, may by written notice-
(a) require that person to furnish a statement in writing on oath or affirmation-
(i) identifying every property, whether movable or immovable, whether within or outside Malaysia, belonging to him or in his possession, or in which he has any interest, whether legal or equitable, and specifying the date on which each of the properties so identified was acquired and the manner in which it was acquired, whether by way of any dealing, bequest, devise, inheritance, or any other manner;
(ii) identifying every property sent out of Malaysia b...
(b) require any relative or associate of the person referred to in paragraph (1)(a), or any other person whom the officer of the Commission of the rank of Commissioner and above has reasonable grounds to believe is able to assist in the investigation, to furnish a statement in writing on oath or affirmation-
(i) identifying every property, whether movable or i
(c) require any officer of any financial institution, or any person who is in any manner or to any extent responsible for the management and control of the affairs of any financial institution, to furnish copies of any or all accounts, documents and records relating to any person to whom a notice may be issued under paragraph (a) or (b)
(2) Every person to whom a notice is sent by the officer of the Commission of the rank of Commissioner and above under subsection (1) shall, notwithstanding any written law or rule of law to the contrary, comply with the terms of the notice within such time as may be specified therein, and any person who wilfully neglects or fails to comply with the terms of the notice commits an offence and shall on conviction be liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding five years and to a fine not exceeding one hundred thousand ringgit....
So, is Anwar 'misleading' - Does he not want ASSET DECLARATIONS now - and only will declare when MACC ' believe, based on the investigation carried out by an officer of the Commission, that any property is held or acquired by any person as a result of or in connection with an offence'.
MEDIA titles can be misleading - statements of politicians too - Anwar, at the end of the day, is still not committing to ASSET DECLARATION, i.e PUBLIC Asset Declarations NO for the PM, Ministers, Cabinet Members, Senior Public Officers, MPs or Senators - ARE they still working on the new format? When will it be finished, and everyone asked to declare assets? Will it be done before GE16?
A new format of asset declaration for members of parliament and administrative members will be implemented soon. Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman said this follows the decision of a Special Cabinet Committee on National Governance meeting chaired by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim on Jan 8.- NST, 25/3/2024
For now, INTRODUCE the new PUBLIC ASSET DECLARATION for all - PM, Ministers, MPs, Senators,... Then, later consider enact a new LAW on Public Asset Declaration, making it an offence for FALSE or INCOMPLETE Declarations, with the ability for people to raise/report false declarations, for a body to receive complaints, investigate and prosecute these crimes.
Declare my assets? Any time, says Anwar
Tarrence Tan Nation
Thursday, 26 Sep 2024 5:41 PM
PUCHONG: Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim says is ready to declare his assets immediately should he be investigated.
"Some leaders, when they become the prime minister or the finance minister, amassed hundreds of millions and some even up to billions of ringgit," said the Prime Minister.
He was commenting on an unnamed individual who was lamenting the ongoing investigations for amassing an extraordinary amount of wealth while previously holding ministerial positions.
"But when we asked them to declare their assets, they hold grudges. Why do you want to retaliate if you are not wrong? Why are you scared of declaring your assets?" he questioned.
"If I was told to declare my assets tomorrow, I will. Probe me as much as you want," said Anwar in his speech while officiating the groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of SMK Integrasi Sains Tahfiz (Smista) at Bandar Kinrara, Puchong on Thursday (Sept 26).
Earlier on Thursday (Sept 26), the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) denied claims that Anwar instructed the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) to investigate former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad and his sons as well as former finance minister Tun Daim Zainuddin.
According to a report by Bloomberg, the PMO also denied instructing MACC chief commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki not to investigate share purchases by Anwar's former political secretary Farhash Wafa Salvador. - Star, 26/9/2024
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