Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad has decided to launch a large-scale anti-corruption campaign: he is demanding Ministers to disclose their assets and refuse expensive gifts, except perishable products and flowers.
“We are in the process of developing laws and ways of governance so that we can reduce and perhaps even eradicate corruption in Malaysia,” the Prime Minister said. It is reported by South Chine Morning Post.
This requirement applies to all the government, including the Prime Minister, all Ministers and members of Parliament, the deadline for filing a Declaration of assets will soon be established, said the head of the Cabinet.
Last week, the former Prime Minister Najib Razak was charged with several episodes of corruption related to 1MDB, the state Fund, which is in the center of a multibillion-dollar scandal.
During the searches, 1.1 billion ringgit (us $ 274 million) cash, jewelry and luxury handbags were found, causing public outrage in a country where the average household income was 62,736 ringgit in 2016.
Mahathir also said that a law is being developed, according to which political parties will not return lobbying support to financial donors who allocate funds to parties.
“We see the US, which has a lobbying system, and they are paid to influence the government to do certain things for people who paid money. For us it is corruption. We will not allow this in Malaysia, ” Mahathir said. It considers whether political funding for parties can come from the state budget.
