PM Mahathir calls on his cabinet to declare wealth

Bloomberg

PM Mahathir Mohamad is putting safeguards in place to prevent graft in Malaysia by requiring his cabinet declare their wealth and refuse gifts more valuable than perishable food and flowers.
“We will do everything possible,” Mahathir told reporters in Putrajaya. “We are in the midst of formulating laws and ways of administration so that we
can reduce corruption and maybe even eradicate corruption in Malaysia.”
The requirement applies to his entire government, including himself, all his ministers and members of parliament, with a deadline for the asset declaration to be set soon,
he said. Former premier Najib Razak was charged with several counts of criminal breach of trust and corruption related to 1MDB scandal.
Raids by the police at sites linked to Najib found $274 million of cash, jewellery and luxury handbags, which has prompted public outrage in the country where the median household income was 62,736 ringgit in 2016.
Mahathir is also drafting a law to ensure political parties don’t return favours to financial donors that support them, citing the US model as a cautionary tale.