The National League for Democracy (NLD) has ordered every one of its newly elected MPs to provide a full list of their assets before December 30 in a bid to stamp out corruption in the party, a spokesperson has said.
The order, similar to one the party made after its 2015 election victory, comes at the end of a term in which senior NLD figures were toppled, and even jailed, following allegations of graft.
Party spokesperson Dr Myo Nyunt told Myanmar Now the asset lists would make it difficult for MPs to use their power to increase their wealth and keep it a secret.
“If there are complaints that their assets have suddenly increased, we’ll check the lists,” he said.
The lists of assets will not be made public but will be shared more widely within the party than the lists collected in 2015, which were only accessible to senior officials, Dr Myo Nyunt said.
That will make it easier for more party officials to scrutinise corruption allegations, he said.
“We’re making the request again for transparency, and so that the candidates cannot increase their wealth in corrupt ways,” he added.
The party’s central executive committee distributed a document titled “Proof of Assets” that also requested information about the assets of MPs’ family members. The rule is aimed at preventing MPs from hiding their assets by putting them in the name of a spouse or child.
Pyone Cho, a newly elected Yangon regional MP, and Soe Thura Tun, a Pyithu Hluttaw representative, confirmed they had received the document.
“I can’t say [on my declaration] that my wife’s assets have nothing to do with me,” Soe Thura Tun said. “All the assets of one’s spouse and children must be listed and submitted. Then the party will take them in a sealed envelope.”
The document also requests details of immovable property, bank records including any closed accounts, business interests, investments, shares, and any regular or irregular income.
The MPs must sign a pledge to cooperate with the party chair or appointed officials should questions arise about their assets or income.
The NLD’s first five years in office were marred by several major corruption scandals. In 2018 then Food and Drug Administration chief Than Htut was arrested on allegations that he had skimmed public money to build houses for himself.
In May this year Lei Lei Maw, the former NLD chief minister of Tanintharyi, was sentenced to 30 years in prison on bribery and corruption charges after, among other things, selling her house to a company for well above market value in exchange for awarding public contracts.
And in September the Kayah state parliament impeached its chief minister, L Phaung Sho, following allegations he had used public money for personal gain.
