Dili, 23/08/2012—The Anti-Corruption Commissioner Adérito de Jesus Soares welcomes President Taur Matan Ruak’s initiative yesterday in presenting his asset declaration to the Court of Appeal and making it into public. Speaking in his Office today, CAC Commissioner says, such a move should set as a motivating factor for other high-ranking public officials to follow suit during their tenure.

However, he says, Timor-Leste has yet to create a proper mechanism for public officials’ asset declaration which include verifications, sanctions and other regulating aspects into a law. Currently, there is no appropriate legal mechanism to regulate public officials’ asset declaration. The Law No.7/2007 regarding the Statutory Law of the Sovereign Entity still lacks many provisions in relation to regulating public officials’ asset declaration.

It is in the Commission of Anti-Corruption’s hope that such required legal mechanism be established in order to control the matter effectively.