PUTRAJAYA (July 10): The proposed asset declaration by public officers will also include declaration of assets owned by close family members, said Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad today.  

Speaking at a press conference at the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), Dr Mahathir however said the government is still contemplating as to how much information can be revealed to the public. 

“[The asset declaration] may affect the privacy of lots more members of the family [of public officers involved],” Dr Mahathir said.  

The federal government is expected to impose a compulsory asset declaration practice for public officers, as well as laws to prohibit them from receiving lavish gifts that could double as bribe. 

It is understood that all public officers will need to submit their declaration to the Prime Minister, and all reports — including that of the Prime Minister’s assets — will be submitted to relevant authorities, including the MACC. 

Additionally, Dr Mahathir said while the asset declaration is only compulsory for cabinet members and MPs of the ruling political parties, nobody is exempted from laws on corruption. 

Yesterday, Dr Mahathir revealed plans to categorise cabinet members — Prime Minister, ministers, the deputies — as well as political secretaries as ‘public officers’ under a set of code of ethics in the government.  

It was reported last year that former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak struck out a lawsuit by Dr Mahathir, after Malaysia’s High Court ruled Najib is not a public officer, and was instead just a member of administration, based on previous code of ethics.  

In what was apparently a jab against his predecessor, Dr Mahathir said today: “A good example must be displayed by the nation’s top leadership. 

“If [the cabinet members] do not participate in corruption, the probability of us reducing corruption will be higher than if top leaderships do not consider themselves as public officers and practice corruption, while instructing the underlings to avoid it,” he said.