ABC News Online

Friday May 4, 12:48 AM

Rival urges Ramos Horta to declare personal wealth

By Anne Barker

In East Timor, the personal wealth of Prime Minister Jose Ramos Horta is shaping up as an election issue in next week's presidential poll.

A second round of voting is scheduled for Wednesday.

The ruling Fretilin party's candidate, Francisco Guterres, won the highest share of votes in last month's poll, ahead of Dr Ramos Horta, who wants to change jobs.

Mr Guterres, known as Lu Olo, has released a statement of pecuniary interests, declaring he has few assets - no bank account, no savings, no shares or investments, and only a family home in the country's east.

He says Dr Ramos Horta has a moral obligation to declare his financial interests as well.

But Dr Ramos Horta's office says there is no such constitutional requirement, and his pecuniary interests are already in the public domain.

They include houses in Dili and Sydney and earnings from the international speaking circuit.