Malaysia Revises Civil Servants’ Stock Ownership and Asset Declaration Rules

Malaysia has announced a comprehensive revision to its rules on civil servants’ stock holdings and asset declarations. According to Odaily, a new circular from the Public Service Department allows civil servants to invest in shares of companies registered in Malaysia, but limits holdings to no more than 5% of a company’s paid-up capital or a total value of no more than 300,000 ringgit, whichever is lower. The updated rules raise the previous investment cap of 100,000 ringgit and add a new constraint on cumulative shareholding limits. The circular also includes digital assets in the regulatory framework for the first time, stating that civil servants’ investment activities must follow principles of transparency and accountability to reflect changes in financial markets and investment instruments.