Official should declare assets

Since Yang Dacai, a work safety official in Shaanxi province, is suspected of being corrupt for flaunting different luxury watches on different occasions, he can prove his innocence only by declaring his assets, says an article in China Youth Daily. Excerpts:

Yang became notorious for grinning at the scene of a deadly traffic accident, in Yan'an, Shaanxi province, in which 36 people were killed when their bus collided with a truck carrying methanol and caught fire recently.

Netizens added to the controversy by digging up snaps of Yang flaunting no less than 11 luxury watches, including Rolex, Mont Blanc and Rado, on different occasions, and asked if they were evidence of corruption.

In response, Yang claimed he had paid for the watches from his legal income over the past decade. But netizens think otherwise, because Yang is neither a millionaire nor an avid collector of watches.

College student Liu Yanfeng has submitted an application to the Shaanxi provincial financial department to compel Yang to declare his assets. It's true that the Party Discipline Inspection Commission of Shaanxi has started an investigation into the case, but all questions can be answered if Yang declares his assets or, better still, declares his entire family's assets.

Compelling Yang to declare his and his family's assets will set a precedent for dealing with such cases and help strengthen supervision of and investigation into suspected corrupt officials.

(China Daily 09/07/2012 page9)