PUTRAJAYA, MALAYSIA: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi wants all ministers in the new Cabinet and deputy ministers to declare their assets publicly.

"I want their assets to be known to the public, that is important," Bernama reported him as saying.

Abdullah said the ministers and deputy ministers would be briefed about the matter and the time frame for them to submit details of their assets at the new government's first Cabinet meeting Wednesday.

Abdullah was also reported as saying that he would also determine their direction as Cabinet ministers and what they should do and what they must avoid doing.

"I will advise them on their conduct whereby they must uphold integrity. That is most important."

"The do's and the dont's will be spelt out to them tomorrow," he said.

"I want them to know what I expect of them and how they should run their ministries. That is absolutely important.

"They were appointed to serve the people. These are the things I want to emphasise," he was reported as saying.