KUALA LUMPUR: Two ministers have said that there is no need for them to declare their assets to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), claiming that either they have no assets or are "too poor".
Minister in the Prime Minister's Department P. Waytha Moorthy claimed that he had spent all of his income to fight for the welfare of the impoverished Indian community.
"I was an activist all my life and all of my income was spent on the struggle of the poor Indian community. That is why I don't have financial access to purchase properties.
"I was a lawyer previously, but I do not have any (assets) because I have spent all of my income (fighting for the community)," he said at the Parliament lobby on Monday (Dec 10).
Waytha, who is in charge of the National Unity and Social Well-being portfolio, said he is aware that the media have named him one of the ministers who have yet to make the asset declaration.
However, he claimed that he had declared his source of income.
"I told my office to inform the MACC to put a note at my name, saying that I don't have assets," he said.
Meanwhile, Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Datuk Mohamaddin Ketapi expressed similar remarks, saying that he is simply too "poor" to have any assets.
Speaking to reporters when met at the Parliament lobby on Monday (Dec 10), Mohamaddin claimed that he did not own a car nor a house.
"What do I have to declare if I don't have assets?" he asked.
Asked if he owned a car or a house, he merely said: " No, I'm poor".
When asked if he would consider declaring any assets he acquired in future, the Silam MP said he would.
"But as it is now, no, I don't have. So, I have got nothing to declare. Poor people don't have assets," he said.
A check by The Star on the MACC website showed that Waytha, together with his spouse, make a joint income of RM48,736.48 per month, while Mohamaddin and his spouse earn a joint income of RM67,483.43 per month.
On Sunday, the MACC revealed that 13 MPs and 24 senior government officials, including political secretaries, have yet to declare their assets.
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