MP calls for wider reporting avenues to protect whistleblowers
He said this was because corruption also involved the authorities themselves.
"What happens if the authorities do not take any action? What is being proposed is that complaints should also be allowed to be submitted to other parties," he said when debating the Whistleblower Protection (Amendment) Bill 2025 in Dewan Rakyat today.
He said in more democratically advanced countries like the United Kingdom, France and Sweden, whistleblowers are allowed to report to the media if no appropriate action is taken by the authorities.
"As such, an amendment needs to be made to protect whistleblowers who courageously submit complaints to the media. I also believe it should be extended to members of parliament.
"This failure to do this is what we saw in the 1Malaysia Development Bhd case, not just in the recent cases in Sabah."
He also said that protection for whistleblowers must also be given for the disclosure of corruption or abuse of power, even if the matter falls under the Official Secrets Act.
"The greater good must prevail."
He said the policy issue concerning the regulatory body for whistleblowers is that it should be independent and not under the control of the executive; "Accountable to Parliament, like an ombudsman body.
"In this bill, these three key policy issues have not been addressed. I'm not opposing the bill, but I just want to say… You have to do more."
Yesterday, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said said whistleblowers should report through official channels, not the media, saying bypassing procedures risks national security and prosecution.
She said this in reply to Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong (BN-Ayer Hitam) during the oral question-and-answer session in Dewan Rakyat.
Wee asked about the government's decision to amend the definition of eligible whistleblowers under the law, so that restrictive conditions or criteria cannot be used as grounds to exclude them from protection under the Whistleblower Protection Act.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Star
2 hours ago
- The Star
Anwar calls on MPs to uphold civil debate in parliament, avoid insults and profanity
PUTRAJAYA: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has called on Members of Parliament (MPs) to foster a culture of respectful and civilised debate in the Dewan Rakyat, free from insults and profanity. Expressing his admiration for the participants of the 2025 Prime Minister's Cup Debate Finals on Saturday (July 26), Anwar commended their eloquence, confidence, thoughtful use of facts, and measured arguments - parliamentarians should emulate these qualities, he said. "I am very proud of the quality of the debate, and I couldn't help but wonder - why shouldn't Members of Parliament learn from this? If we wish to debate, we must first master knowledge, analyse it, process it, and present it effectively. "These young participants demonstrated an impressive standard of debate, and I salute them. Debate is not merely about speaking well; it is about the ability to understand, analyse, and articulate ideas clearly. That is precisely what I believe our Members of Parliament should learn to emulate," he said. Anwar, who is also the Finance Minister, also praised the current generation of students for their strong command of the Malay language and their ability to engage in discussions with depth, knowledge, and understanding. The Prime Minister said that values such as manners and ethics must be integral to the national education system, as the vision of building a Madani Malaysia cannot rely solely on technological advancements like artificial intelligence (AI), digitalisation, and emerging technologies. "When we talk about a Madani nation, it must be founded on values and ethics, as articulated by Sheikh Taha Jabir Al-Alwani in his work Adab al-Ikhtilaf," he said. Acknowledging the complexity of today's challenges and the need for future generations to master new knowledge, Anwar stressed that such advancement must be grounded in tradition, human values, and ethical principles. "We train our children not only to master new knowledge but also to uphold the values of faith, ethics and local culture. Without this balance, we risk merely replicating the model of Western countries," he said. Meanwhile, the 50th edition of the debate saw Sekolah Menengah Agama Persekutuan Kajang crowned champion in the Malay language category, while Sekolah Sultan Alam Shah emerged victorious in the English category. – Bernama
New Straits Times
2 hours ago
- New Straits Times
Saifuddin: Opposition resorting to rally due to lack of support for no-confidence vote
ALOR STAR: Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail has taken a swipe at the opposition for choosing street demonstrations over parliamentary channels to express their dissatisfaction with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. He said Anwar had offered the opposition a democratic platform in the Dewan Rakyat, including a commitment to prioritise any motion of no confidence brought against him. "The prime minister has said he will instruct the speaker to give priority to any no-confidence motion against him. "So the ball is on the opposition's court. "He even said that the government's motions would be postponed to allow such a motion. "But it's already the fifth day of the sitting and there's just silence," he said at a press conference after opening the police's new Child Interview Centre in Derga here today. Saifuddin said the opposition's inaction in Parliament indicated it lacked the necessary support to topple the government through legitimate means and instead resorted to public provocation. "If the opposition truly understands and respects the democratic process, the proper channel to remove a leader is through Parliament. But why haven't they (the opposition) done so? "The reality is, they don't have the numbers... only support within their own circle," he said. Saifuddin said the government had not obstructed public gatherings and stressed that the right to assemble peacefully is enshrined in the Federal Constitution. "They want to assemble, give speeches, go ahead. "But under the Peaceful Assembly Act 2012, certain provisions remain in effect. "For instance, children are not allowed at such gatherings, and dangerous items are prohibited. "If they get carried away, lighting flares and the like, then the police have no choice but to enforce the law," he said. He questioned the opposition's true motives, suggesting they were more focused on stirring public unrest and tarnishing the country's image than pursuing constructive political discourse. "They say Anwar must go down. But Anwar has already made fuel prices go down. "They say he (still) must go down, yet electricity tariffs have gone down too. "Still, they can't wait for his term to end and are desperate to remove him now. "So the people must decide: do they want democracy to prevail, or are we allowing chaos to take centre stage? "At a time when the economy is showing signs of recovery, do we want to spook investors with unrest and instability? Be a responsible opposition," he said. The Pas-led rally is held today at Dataran Merdeka in Kuala Lumpur to demand Anwar's resignation. Police anticipate a turnout of between 10,000 and 15,000 people at the event.
Malaysiakini
2 hours ago
- Malaysiakini
PM calls for civil debate in Parliament, asks MPs to avoid insults, profanity
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has called on MPs to foster a culture of respectful and civilised debate in the Dewan Rakyat, free from insults and profanity. Expressing his admiration for the participants of the 2025 Prime Minister's Cup Debate Finals, Anwar commended their eloquence, confidence, thoughtful use of facts, and measured arguments - qualities he said should be emulated by parliamentarians.
