Former Klang MP Charles Santiago has urged the government to introduce an Unexplained Wealth Order (UWO) to tackle illicit wealth and systemic corruption among the elite.
Citing official estimates, Santiago said Malaysia lost RM277 billion to fraud, procurement abuse, and illicit flows between 2018 and 2023, or RM55 billion annually, that could have funded schools, hospitals, and food aid.
He pointed to the UK’s UWO model, which recovered £62.9 million (RM390 million) in a single year through the order and related civil actions.
“Malaysia can do the same, recover stolen wealth without dragging cases for decades in court,” he said in a series of posts on X.
UWOs allow authorities to compel individuals to explain how they acquired assets that appear disproportionate to their known income, even without a completed criminal case.
Malaysia does not currently have a UWO framework. The existing laws, such as the MACC Act and the Anti-Money Laundering Act, allow investigators to request asset declarations and freeze accounts, but only after a case is opened.
Santiago’s remarks came after Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim told the sons of former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad to return any wealth they cannot justify.
But he said unexplained wealth should not be “about one family or the fallout of the Turun Anwar rally”.
He said ordinary Malaysians are made to prove their income for aid or loans, while the wealthy often escape scrutiny.
“Unexplained wealth shouldn’t depend on who’s in power. Malaysia needs clear legal triggers that require individuals to prove how they obtained assets beyond their known income.
“Without it, justice is just politics,” he said.
