Guangdong's asset declaration scheme falls short, critics say
Guangdong's pilot programme to unveil salaries of officials does not include privately gained wealth or account for their families' incomes
Guangdong's much anticipated pilot programme on the declaration of officials' personal assets has been strongly criticised for its extensive restrictions on information disclosed to the public.
The government in Taiping township in Shixing county, Shaoguan, disclosed the salary and perks of 13 officials in its government headquarters, the reported on Monday.
It said the town's party chief, Zheng Weiming, was paid 2,100 yuan (HK$2,586) in basic salary a month, plus a 620 yuan allowance and 360 yuan for mobile phone expenses. But income from other sources and the assets of officials' family members were not disclosed.
Guangdong had earlier chosen three locations – Zhuhai's Hengqin New Area, Guangzhou's Nansha New Area and Shixing county – for testing an anti-graft scheme requiring senior officials to declare their personal and family assets.
It sounds like the officials are only disclosing the information to complete government procedures rather than doing it sincerely
The report, citing a source close to the Communist Party's discipline watchdog in Guangdong, said the declarations would be used for internal reference, and that the authorities might disclose some of the information to the public.
Many internet users found the level of disclosure insufficient and unconvincing.
