By Lian Cheng
KUCHING, July 1: Santubong MP Datuk Seri Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar says currently, there is no basis of the law or rule of the House to support the motion to introduce the resolution for all MPs to declare their assets.
“Under what law is the motion brought in? There is no law or the rule of the Parliament stating that MPs must declare their assets.
“MPs cannot be penalised by a resolution moved by motion without basis in law and rule. MPs are to protect the Constitution and respect the law.
“We can’t breach the law or the rule. The Minister (of Law, Datuk Liew Vui Keong) must first (table) amendment (sic) the law or the rule first. Only then, they can introduce the motion.
“So to me, this is very pre-mature and without the proper law or rule as the basis, we can’t support it,” Wan Junaidi told DayakDaily.
Wan Junaidi also voiced out the issue of practicality where he believed it would be impractical for MPs and even their families to declare the assets.
“MPs are not civil servants. They can do business. Unlike the Ministers, who are considered civil servants and are not allowed to do business.
“If the motion is passed, that means all the sons and daughters of the Prime Minister’s (Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad) should declare their assets.”
A related matter which really irked Wan Junaidi was that there was no due notice given to MPs prior to the introduction of the motion.
“It was only laid on the table this morning when the Law Minister introduced the motion. We were not given any papers for us to look at, to study it and to see its implication so that we can present our argument.
“Actually, there was (instance of) even no papers laid on the table. The Minister just presented the motion,” said Wan Junaidi.
He concluded that whatever motion is to be introduced, the procedure must be proper and there must be law and logic to back it up.
“This is a good move but it must be backed up by the law and proper practice of the Parliament,” said Wan Junaidi.
Liew had tabled a special motion today to make it compulsory for all MPs to declare their assets to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) today at the Parliament.
Currently, there are no laws to compel lawmakers to declare their assets. — DayakDaily
