DAP: Only the corrupt will oppose asset declaration

PUCHONG: Only the corrupt and those protecting them would fear declaring their assets to the public, said DAP secretary general Lim Guan Eng.
In a statement today, Lim criticised PAS of seeding the culture of hate in its feeble attempt to antagonise the asset declaration motion passed by the Dewan Rakyat recently.
“Asset declaration is neither a communist or socialist concept. In fact, it’s not even practised in many socialist countries.
“It is a rules-based, ethically-centred and value-driven concept to establish institutions that build integrity and fight corruption in the government and society.
“Thus, only the corrupt or those protecting the corrupt are fearful of public declaration of assets,” said Lim, who is also the finance minister.
He also accused DAP of spearheading the asset declaration move due to its strong influence in the Pakatan Harapan coalition.
Tuan Ibrahim justified his argument by saying Islam was against public display of wealth and asset declaration would put the public servant’s family at risk due to their opulence.
PKR president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, however, defended the asset declaration exercise and mocked Hadi, urging the latter to mention which theory in communism mentions asset declaration.
NGOs and Islamic scholars have also panned Tuan Ibrahim’s argument, saying the PAS leader was quoting a fake Hadith to justify his claims.
Hurling brickbats at both PAS leaders, Lim said that when he was the chief minister of Penang, the leaders of the state had declared their assets publicly for the past eight years without any problems or risk to their families.
He also accused the PAS leaders of trying to protect opposition leaders embroiled in corruption scandals, especially in the 1MDB.
“PAS has lost its moral and ethical core, and there is no more reason to support a party that has demonstrated its supreme incompetence in managing economy and governing a state.
“This is best proven by PAS turning Kelantan into a failed state that is financially bankrupt, to the extent that the state government cannot even afford to pay its civil servants,” said Lim.
The DAP leader also took potshots at MCA and MIC for continuing to support Umno and PAS despite the racist and extremist rhetoric levelled by the opposition parties on non-Malays and non-Muslims.
“Clearly MCA and MIC have forsaken their principles in promoting diversity, national unity and defending the rights of all Malaysians in favour of promoting their own selfish political interests, especially when both parties are also ensnared in the 1MDB scandal,” said Lim.
By G Vinod