Ombudsman Malaysia to replace whistleblower committee
KUALA LUMPUR : The government will replace the current whistleblower protection committee with the soon-to-be-established Ombudsman Malaysia, which will have wider powers and clearer reporting mechanisms, the Dewan Rakyat was told.
Deputy law and institutional reform minister M Kulasegaran said the current committee was merely a stop-gap measure.
'It is temporary until Ombudsman Malaysia is set up,' he said in winding-up the debate on the Whistleblower Protection (Amendment) Bill 2025 in the Dewan Rakyat today.
Earlier today, opposition and government MPs called for better amendments to the Whistleblower Protection Act 2010, warning that the current draft lacked teeth and could enable political interference.
Some MPs had also questioned the appointment of the members to this committee.
Kulasegaran said Ombudsman Malaysia would take over the role of the committee with additional powers, including receiving complaints from whistleblowers involving misconduct.
'SOPs including timelines and relevant aspects will be detailed during the setting up of Ombudsman Malaysia.'
Kulasegaran added that the main objective of the Whistleblower Protection Act remained unchanged – which was to protect whistleblowers.
But he said protection could only be granted if the disclosure was made to an enforcement agency, as stipulated in the Act.
'If the information is not channelled to an enforcement agency, the individual will not be classified as a whistleblower.'
Kulasegaran stressed that the government was confident whistleblowers' identities could be protected if disclosures were made through the proper channels.
'However, if the disclosure is made to the media or the public, it will be difficult to offer protection. The information may be widely shared.'
He further said the government was looking at ways to improve the reporting mechanisms, including allowing disclosures to parties other than enforcement agencies to encourage more people to come forward.
The bill was later passed by the Dewan Rakyat.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Free Malaysia Today
5 hours ago
- Free Malaysia Today
Federal leader's insult pushed GRS into unity govt, says Hajiji
GRS chairman Hajiji Noor said many of Sabah's demands were approved by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, whereas previous leaders found difficulty in devolving power to the state. (Bernama pic) PETALING JAYA : A federal leader's disdain for the proposed 'Borneo Bloc' political cooperation led Gabungan Rakyat Sabah into supporting Anwar Ibrahim's formation of the unity government after the 2022 general election, GRS chairman Hajiji Noor said today. Speaking at the annual convention of Parti Gagasan Rakyat Sabah, he said a former federal leader, whom he did not name, had dismissed the idea of Bornean cooperation. 'I was with Masidi Manjun and Jeffrey Kitingan in a meeting with a big leader over there (in Peninsular Malaysia) at the time. The person said they were the masters. He did not like the Borneo Bloc. He did not want us to share our experiences and stories with our neighbouring state of Sarawak,' he said. 'I was shocked by his words. I thought about them for a long time. What did they mean? What was his intent? As I thought about it, I lost heart (tawar hati) in these people,' he said in a video of his speech published on Facebook by Sabah Media. Hajiji said it was after much thought that he finally decided that GRS would support the unity government being formed by Anwar. Since then, he said Anwar's government 'has listened to our voices, and we have been treated well', and reiterated that GRS remained in support of the prime minister. Hajiji said many of Sabah's demands under the Malaysia Agreement 1963 were approved by Anwar, as opposed to previous leaders who found difficulty in devolving power to the state. 'So what are we hoping for? If the unity government is good for our state, why shouldn't we support it?' he said. In March, deputy prime minister Fadillah Yusof said the unity government had successfully resolved nine key claims related to MA63, including power to regulate gas supply in Sabah, the administration of the judiciary in Sabah and Sarawak, and guidelines on land reserved for federal purposes in the two states.
Free Malaysia Today
6 hours ago
- Free Malaysia Today
People's views not same as those with lust for power, says PM's aide
The 'Turun Anwar' rally on Saturday was described by PAS as representing the people's vote of no confidence in Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. PETALING JAYA : The unity government will listen to all the people, and not just to the voices behind political microphones on rally stages, an aide to the prime minister said today. 'There is a big difference between the people's voice and the political agendas of certain parties who are trying to drag the people into validating their lust for power,' said Shamsul Iskandar Akin, senior political secretary to the prime minister. Shamsul Iskandar Akin. He said the government led by Anwar Ibrahim was built upon an electoral mandate and Perikatan Nasional chairman Muhyiddin Yassin and his coalition partners should return to the electoral arena if they were confident that public sentiment about the government had shifted. 'Not through street rallies, not by inflating crowd numbers, and not by manipulating racial and religious issues to provoke emotions,' he said in a statement, Bernama reported. His statement comes in the wake of the 'Turun Anwar' rally in Kuala Lumpur on Saturday, which police said was attended by an estimated 18,000 people. However, PAS officials claimed that 200,000 people took part. The rally was later described by PAS secretary-general Takiyuddin Hassan as a vote of no confidence by the people against Anwar and he urged the prime minister to take heed of the turnout and resign instead of waiting for a confidence motion in the Dewan Rakyat. Shamsul said in a statement that the government respected the people's right to assemble and express opinions, and had ensured that no harsh action was taken, no tear gas fired, and no stages destroyed. 'The people's right to speak is protected. But their voices must not be exploited, and democracy must not be held hostage in the name of vengeance and power struggles,' he said.
Free Malaysia Today
6 hours ago
- Free Malaysia Today
Umno must act on principle even if unpopular, says Zahid
Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi called for party members to take BN's failure to form the government in the past two general elections as a lesson and turning point to rebuild the party's strength. (Bernama pic) RAUB : Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said that in today's challenging political landscape, decisions made by the party are aimed at ensuring the country's stability and future, even if those decisions are unpopular. Explaining the matter when officiating the Raub Umno division delegates' meeting, he emphasised that in any struggle, not all decisions taken will be comfortable, but they must be principled. 'No matter how high our position is in the party or government, we must realise that every post is a trust that must be carried out with full responsibility,' he said. Zahid, who is also Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman and deputy prime minister, said what Umno needs most right now is unity of purpose and a strong fighting spirit, without faltering when tested. He also reminded party members to take Umno and BN's failure to form the government in the past two general elections as a lesson and turning point to rebuild the party's strength. 'We have been tested twice in the general elections… enough of the divisions, quarrels, shooting at each other, and hidden saboteurs within. 'Let us learn from past weaknesses and fix Umno and BN from within. Hopefully, we can be dominant once again,' he said. At a press conference later, Zahid said Umno would look into whether any of its members had participated in the rally held in Kuala Lumpur yesterday. 'Umno is now part of the unity government, and we must strengthen, not undermine, the government that is in place,' he said.
