Arab world practices asset declaration - are they communists too?

ADUN SPEAKS | PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang said Asset declaration a communist, socialist idea dreamt up by DAP.

His statement shows that he is either dishonest and purposefully misleading his support base or that he is just blatantly ignorant, simply narrow-minded and utterly misguided.

By using lies to cast negative aspersions over asset declarations, is he making excuses to legitimise his refusal to declare his assets? Does he have something to hide and how much?

Or is he simply such a katak dibawah tempurung that he accepts lock, stock and barrel the preposterous counsel of his advisors; those who feed him nonsensical political talking points to rile up the racial-religious hatred and discomfort?

Egypt, Morocco, Palestine, Yemen, Libya and Tunisia are all overwhelmingly Muslim-majority states in the Arab world that do not express socialism nor communism in their current governments or in their polity as a whole. It is even safe to say that they are Muslim countries.

These countries also have several other things in common other than their religious demographics. All seven legally compel all their members of Parliament, all high-level and all senior-level officials to declare their bank deposits and real estate holdings upon taking office. All bar Libya, even require them to declare valuable movables and securities.

Is Abdul Hadi calling the governments and the people of Egypt, Morocco, Palestine, Yemen, Libya and Tunisia communist and socialist?

Though I am not and never have been ideologically inclined towards communism, I do know enough about it to offer Hadi some minor corrections for posterity. In a true communist state, there will be no personal asset ownership as all means of production and assets will be under common ownership. 

Why would there be the need for personal asset ownership when in communism everyone owns everything? Therefore, Hadi's assertion that asset declarations are a communist concept is absurd and nonsensical.

As the former president of the International Union of Socialist Youth (the world's largest youth political organisation with a seat at the UN Economic and Social Council) and the current national chief of Dapsy — both names proudly bear the word "socialist" mind you — I can speak with some authority on whether or not asset declaration is "socialistic".

Yes, it is indeed in line with socialist values because it promotes clean governance and leadership, accountability as well as transparency and we are proud of it. Just a shame that Hadi seems to be allergic to it.

HOWARD LEE CHUAN HOW is DAP state assemblyperson for Pasir Pinji. 

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