PUTRAJAYA: The government must monitor the expansion of wealth and properties of cabinet members as this is more important than noting what they had before they came into power.
National Centre for Governance, Integrity and Anti-Corruption (GIACC) director-general Tan Sri Abu Kassim Mohamed said this should also be extended to their spouses and children under the asset declaration inniative.
"It is important to monitor their earnings and their expansion of property throughout their tenure.
"This is crucial because we must know that what they earn and what they spend on as well as to make sure their spending is in accordance with their earnings," he said.
Previously, members of the Pakatan Harapan administration, including ministers, their deputies and political secretaries have declared their assets to the prime minister.
The documents were published on Nov 1.
This document was also made public in the Malaysian Anti Corruption Commission (MACC) website.
Abu Kassim was speaking to reporters during a press conference after the Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani International Anti-Corruption Excellence Award here today.
He also said Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad is very committed in efforts to stamp out corruption, which was evident after the premier approved 21 policies several months after becoming prime minister.
He also said Dr Mahathir has also endorsed an Anti-Corruption Plan which contains 103 initiatives. The plan is expected to be launched next year.
"Dr Mahathir has also called non-governmental bodies and reform committees to come up with suggestions to make the country free from corruption," he added.
Separately, Abu Kassim also clarified that he was not aware of the tampering of the 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) final audit report when he was the MACC chief in 2016.
He also he tried to get the original copy from the Auditor-General then.
"I'm not aware of the tampering. There was an occasion they tried to brief us on something that was not in the report.
"That's why we went beyond and started investigation," he added.
On Nov 25, Auditor General Tan Sri Dr Madinah Mohamad revealed that former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak had allegedly instructed the 1MDB final audit report to be amended by taking out several paragraphs.
Among the changes allegedly made include the presence of wanted businessman Low Taek Jho or Jho Low in the 1MDB board director meeting.
Madinah had claimed that those who were involved in the case included former prime minister’s private secretary Tan Sri Shukry Salleh, former chief secretary to the government Tan Sri Dr Ali Hamsa, former Auditor General Tan Sri Ambrin Buang and the then 1MDB group president and chief executive officer Arul Kanda Kandasamy.
Additional reporting by Zanariah Abd Mutalib