AMPANG – If Rafizi Ramli has his way, a new law will be enacted specifically to mandate that politicians and civil servants declare their assets.
Those who fail to prove their wealth will have their assets seized by the authorities, the PKR deputy president said in speaking out against rampant money laundering involving those in power.
Addressing a 500-strong crowd at a Pakatan Harapan ceramah last night, Rafizi said the strict conditions imposed under such a law would make ill-intentioned individuals think twice about joining politics and government service.
“Internationally recognised laws define money laundering as the possession of excessive wealth in one’s account when that person doesn’t have any business or expertise,” he said here in Pandan, where he will be contesting in the coming general election.
This is considered money laundering and these assets can be confiscated. How is this different to our ministers and civil servants, who work for only 20 years, but have assets of millions of ringgit?
“If I have it my way, there needs to be a law to stipulate that all government servants and politicians must prove their wealth, and if they fail, it means the assets were (obtained) illegally.
Rafizi expressed hope that such a law would ensure only those who truly want to serve the rakyat would run for elected office.
His statement comes days after he publicly declared net assets of RM18.85 million and a further debt of RM820,274 ahead of the national polls.
He had also previously shared his intention that all PKR candidates running in the election be required to follow his lead, and their assets would later be available for public scrutiny on a website.
Speaking last night, Rafizi said he was currently “chasing down” his PKR colleagues to declare their assets, stressing the importance of transparency.
“Don’t worry, I will chase them one by one,” he said.
“When every sen of money belonging to politicians has to be held accountable, they know they cannot simply (abuse the funds) because people are watching.”
On a separate matter, Rafizi said from Monday he would expose further misappropriation of public funds involving billions of ringgit, which supposedly implicate leaders from Umno, Bersatu, and PAS.
Next week, more bullets will come raining down. People always ask me why don’t I just expose everything at once. Let them (those involved) have sleepless nights.
“I don’t get anything from them. The least I can do is bully them so they can’t sleep at night. Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin will be thinking, what’s coming out? Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi will be afraid.
“They think just because Datuk Seri Najib Razak has checked into the ‘Kajang hotel’, the issue of corruption is done. I will show, starting Monday, that all of Umno, Bersatu, PAS are involved.” – The Vibes, November 6, 2022
