Time to name and shame MPs who don't report their assets?

From tightening up asset disclosures to ending unregulated lobbying, the Malta Chamber seeks to raise the bar of politics. Jacob Borg looks at some of its proposals

Asset declarations

The Malta Chamber is proposing a revamp of the system to allow for more meaningful scrutiny of an MPs’ assets and earnings.

It is advocating for a redesign of the present asset form, to allow for the “structured, consistent and coherent submission of asset information”.

A member of parliament should attach, with the asset declaration form, the previous year’s income tax form submitted to the commissioner of revenue.

At the moment, journalists have to put in a separate request to parliament in order to view an MP’s tax filings.

The business lobby wants the asset declarations to be easily accessible to the public, via the parliament and standard commissioner’s websites.

A separate gift registry should also be set up. Contrary to the present system, where MPs have to submit their declaration by the end of April, the chamber proposes that the declarations be filed within a month of the new calendar year.

MPs who fail to present their declarations should be “named and shamed” by the standards...