“Can we get it done,” Subang MP Wong Chen asked , claiming that it was a “super low-hanging fruit” in terms of reforms which the government would be able to introduce immediately.
“If we can’t get it done because our (coalition) partners are not interested in this kind of issue, then at least implement it for the civil servants,” he said.
Wong said judges and members of the civil service, including ministry secretary-generals and their deputies, should be required to declare their assets to enhance transparency and inspire confidence.
“Hopefully, when the politicians are ready for this, maybe they can do it too. PKR (candidates) are quite well-known for declaring their assets before the elections, but we don’t want to impose it on DAP and Umno.
“But I think we must do it at least for the civil service level. And that would be a big improvement,” he said.
Wong was asked to comment after Bersih gave a low grade on the unity government’s performance in the area of reforms in its first two years in Putrajaya.
The election watchdog handed the government a “D” grade after assessing its progress in 37 areas encompassing electoral, institutional and civil liberty reforms.
Bersih chairman Faisal Abdul Aziz noted that the unity government had made limited progress on promised reforms, noting a gap between its rhetoric and action.
The government had previously spoken of its intention to introduce asset declarations for MPs and administrative officials.
Civil servants are presently required to declare their assets to their heads of department.
In March, deputy law and institutional reform minister M Kula Segaran said a revised format of the declaration had been finalised and was ready to be presented to the Cabinet for approval.
In June, law and institutional reform minister Azalina Othman Said said that the new format had not yet been finalised, but she expected the updated version to be presented to the Cabinet “soon.”
However, there have been no updates on the matter since.
PKR party polls
Asked about party elections next year, Wong hinted that he may vie to be a PKR division leader.
He said division leaders usually have a say in the appointment of local government councillors.
“We’ve been receiving numerous complaints about the performance of councillors. So, this might be the right time to try to win a position and appoint capable councillors instead.”
Wong also expects to run to retain his seat on PKR’s central leadership council, although, for personal reasons, there is a “very high possibility” that it will be his last term.
“However, if the government is able to work on the remaining reforms in the next three years, and I strongly feel we have a lot more to do, I will stay on.”