KUALA LUMPUR – Umno’s Khairy Jamaluddin does not see a need for candidates to declare assets before the general election, suggesting that this best be done for those who are later appointed as ministers.
“To me, we should make asset declarations when we are appointed into the cabinet,” he said after a Covid-19 briefing at the Armed Forces Ex-Servicemen Affairs Corp in Sg Buloh today.
While not elaborating on his remark, the caretaker health minister nonetheless said he had himself declared his assets to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) back in 2020.
This was when he was appointed science, technology, and innovation minister under Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin’s administration.
“I have made my declaration to MACC, and this has been published on its website. The total value of my assets is also included,” said Khairy.
Muhyiddin, who became prime minister in March 2020, had ordered all his cabinet members to declare their assets to MACC within a month, as part of an “aku janji” condition to ensure a high level of integrity.
Khairy was asked to comment on whether he sees a need for every candidate contesting in the coming national polls to make asset declarations.
This comes after PKR deputy president Rafizi Ramli publicly declared his net assets of RM18.85 million and a debt of RM820,274 ahead of the election.
In a Facebook post, he said all PKR candidates would also be asked to do the same, adding that these details will be available for public scrutiny on a website later.
On a separate matter, Khairy said he will try his best to meet with voters in Sg Buloh during the two-week campaigning period in his bid to capture the seat from Pakatan Harapan.
His comment comes after Umno deputy president Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan claimed that Sg Buloh is a safe constituency for Khairy to contest in.
He said the decision to field Khairy in the seat was due to the party machinery’s positive response, the large number of Malay voters, and the fact that his political secretary Datuk Megat Firdouz Megat Junid is also the division chief there.
Khairy will, among others, face off with PKR’s Datuk R. Ramanan, who himself is contesting in the constituency for the first time, replacing incumbent Sivarasa Rasiah. – The Vibes, November 4, 2022
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