OPPOSITION MPs remain coy about whether they will declare their assets by December 5, the deadline issued by parliament.

Opposition Leader Ismail Sabri Yaakob said the dissenters would discuss the matter and let the press know next week.

“We’ll discuss it first and then hold a press conference on the matter before December 5. Just wait for next week,” he said, when asked why the elected representatives in the opposition had yet to declare their assets.

Only Pakatan Harapan and a handful of PAS and Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) lawmakers have declared their wealth to the Speaker’s office since July 1, when the Dewan Rakyat passed a motion to make the declaration compulsory for all legislators.

Yesterday, the House voted to extend the end-October deadline for submission to December 5.

Law minister Liew Vui Keong earlier today said there was no need for a new law to compel MPs to declare their assets as the Dewan Rakyat Standing Orders sufficed for action to be taken against those who bucked the system.

He said the Speaker was empowered to take action, including to cite the offending MPs for holding the House in contempt, suspend them from debates, refer them to the Rights and Privileges Committee, and to fine them RM1,000.

A check on the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission website showed that only the government MPs and their spouses have declared their assets.

The website did not show filings from any of the 83 opposition MPs.

Barisan Nasional has 41 MPs while GPS and PAS have 18 each.

The others are from United Sabah Alliance (3), Sarawak United Party (1) and independents (2). – November 27, 2019.