Refusal by federal lawmakers to declare their assets will amount to contempt of Parliament, said Minister in Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Liew Vui Keong.
Liew was commenting on the government’s proposed Bill to compel lawmakers and their families to declare their assets.
The Bill proposes that lawmakers must declare their assets through a statutory declaration (SD) and a copy of the declaration would then be submitted to the chief of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).
The list of Members of Parliament who had declared their assets would also be displayed on the MACC portal.
PETALING JAYA: Refusal by federal lawmakers to declare their assets will amount to contempt of Parliament, said Minister in Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Liew Vui Keong.
Explaining, Liew said should the motion on the asset declaration be adopted by the lower house of Parliament next week, all Members of Parliament would face disciplinary action if they failed to adhere to the new law.
Liew was commenting on the government’s proposed Bill to compel lawmakers and their families to declare their assets.
He also said that the new law would also be extended to members of the Dewan Negara.
“This also extends to senators,” Liew said.
“This involves asset declaration of members of Parliament, their spouses and their children who are below 21 years of age,” he said after officiating the Silverton Capital and Unicorn Hub co-working space, here, today.
On the penalty likely to be imposed on Members of Parliament who refuse to declare their assets, Liew said they would be referred to the parliamentary Rights and Privileges committee chaired by Dewan Rakyat speaker Datuk Mohamad Ariff Md Yusof.
The minister said the Bill would be tabled in the Dewan Rakyat on Monday and it would be up to the Speaker to set the number of MPs allowed to debate it.
“I urge all MPs to participate in the voting because it involves them. Once the Bill is approved, they will have three months to declare their assets.”
The Bill proposes that lawmakers must declare their assets through a statutory declaration (SD) and a copy of the declaration would then be submitted to the chief of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).
The list of Members of Parliament who had declared their assets would also be displayed on the MACC portal.
Meanwhile, on the motion to establish the Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC), Liew said it would also be tabled at the upcoming Dewan Rakyat session.
On abolishing the death penalty, Liew expressed hope that it too would be tabled this month but noted that it might take a while as there were still several matters needed to be finalised.
The second meeting of the second session of the fourteenth Parliament will kick-off on July 1 (Monday) with the proceedings involving the Dewan Rakyat. The lower House of Parliament will sit for 12 days, until July 18.
This will be followed with the sitting of the Dewan Negara for seven days between July 22 and 31.
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