KUALA LUMPUR: Pas said it is against a motion to warrant the mandatory declaration of assets by lawmakers as “Islam discourages the act of displaying wealth.”
Its deputy president Datuk Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man also stressed that declaring assets would undermine lawmakers’ safety and is also unnecessary, as the government can keep track of parliamentarians’ incomes through their income tax payments.
“There is one hadith (collected sayings of the Prophet Muhammad): If God gives you wealth, do not display it, as there will be many who will scrutinise it.
“(There is also a) safety issue when we declare individual as well as our family’s assets.
“The country has law and acts enough to control all income received every year to the Inland Revenue Board. So there is no need for the special motion,” he said.
In addition, the Kubang Kerian lawmaker reasoned that only ruling Members of Parliament should be subject to the proposal, as members of the opposition have no access to large funds for government projects.
“Since the opposition has no access to government projects, what is the need (for them) to declare (their assets)?
“It is only right for those from the government to declare, as they have access to government projects,” he said.
Tuan Ibrahim also stressed that motions put forward in the Dewan Rakyat must be based on a legal act – and that as of now, the motion, if passed, would only form a parliamentary requirement.
He added that the Islamic party would not agree to the special motion until further detailed study into its feasibility as an actual law is conducted.