By Lian Cheng
KUCHING, July 2: Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) chief whip Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof has confirmed that MPs from the ruling Sarawak coalition will abide by the new parliamentary resolution to declare assets to the Dewan Rakyat Speaker’s Office.
He said GPS MPs would declare theirs and their family members’ (spouses and children below 21) assets by this Oct 1 as stipulated in the motion that was tabled by Minister in Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Liew Vui Keong, who is also de-facto Law Minister.
Liew tabled the motion yesterday, and it was passed on the same day through voice voting, without any dissenting voice from the opposition.
As it was not a bill, only a simple majority was needed to pass the motion.
Following the passing of the resolution, all MPs will have to submit lists of their assets to the Parliamentary Speaker’s Office by Oct 1. Failure to do so will result in a call before the Parliamentary’s Rights and Privileges Committee.
Those who submit false asset declarations may be charged under Section 3, Act 783 (Statutory Declaration) and Section 193 of the Penal Code, which means a jail term of not more than three years or a fine.
The declaration will include all assets and incomes of the MPs, their spouses and children below 21 years old.
A copy of the asset declaration submitted by the MPs will later be sent to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), which will publish it on its website for three months.
It was reported that in Liew’s winding-up speech, he said the motion was paving the way for the introduction of a new bill on asset declaration. He hoped to table the bill in the next parliamentary session.
Liew also clarified that MACC would not carry out an investigation based on the asset declaration submitted but rather on a formal complaint. — DayakDaily
