Segamat MP Edmund R. Santhara Kumar is currently the richest MP on paper, according to the latest filing on Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission’s (MACC) asset declaration website.

According to the site, Santhara, whose declaration includes his wife’s, has RM132 million in assets, knocking Beruas MP Ngeh Koo Ham into second place with RM80 million.

Santhara’s monthly income is recorded as RM45,000.

Prior to joining politics, the 47-year-old PKR deputy secretary-general, was a director and group CEO of Masterskill Education Group Bhd.

In early 2013, he quit as CEO to focus on politics, also selling 72 million shares or 17.5% of the company, earning him RM28.8 million. The same year, in the general election in May, he stood as an independent candidate in the Hulu Selangor parliamentary seat but lost.

Santhara’s filing with the MACC site was done in December, about a month after the site went live online in November.

Third and fourth on the list are Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad and son Mukhriz.

The prime minister listed RM32 million to his name while former Opcom Holdings owner Mukhriz has RM25 million. Mukhriz is now the Kedah menteri besar.

This public asset and income declaration exercise was introduced by Pakatan Harapan as part of its anti-corruption drive after coming into power last year.

Though not mandatory, most of the PH elected representative, government ministers and deputy ministers have already declared their assets. The list of officials includes political secretaries.

As of today, 76 out of 86 members of the administration have declared their assets while 121 out of 129 government MPs have also filed their asset declaration forms.

Among the backbenchers who are on the list includes PKR president and Port Dickson MP Anwar Ibrahim and seven of the MPs who left Umno and joined Bersatu last month.

Anwar only returned to Parliament after winning the Port Dickson by-election in October.

According to Anwar’s office, the declaration has already been sent to MACC.

“We are just waiting for the website to be updated,” said officer, who declined to be named.

Among the new MPs who joined PH, only Jeli MP Mustapa Mohamed and Bagan Serai MP Noor Azmi Ghazali have declared their assets.

None of the opposition MPs from PAS, Barisan Nasional or Gabung Parti Sarawak have declared their assets. – March 6, 2019.