Latest news with #SyahredzanJohan
The Sun
9 hours ago
- Politics
- The Sun
Whistleblower Protection Act amendments boost legal safeguards
KUALA LUMPUR: The bill to amend the Whistleblower Protection Act 2010 (WPA) (Act 711), passed in the Dewan Rakyat today, is a major amendment that will boost the effectiveness of the Act. Bangi MP Syahredzan Johan said the WPA was passed in 2010 to provide protection to whistleblowers, but there are several flaws in the Act that severely hampered its effectiveness. 'One major flaw in the Act is that the disclosure made must not be prohibited by any written law. This is found in a proviso in Section 6(1) of the Act. 'Thus, the disclosure of matters covered by the Official Secrets Act 1972, for example, would not attract protection under the Act. 'Consider the offence under Section 203A of the Penal Code of 'disclosure of information'. Under the section, a person who discloses any information or matter which he has obtained in the performance of his duties, or the exercise of his functions under any written law, commits an offence,' he said in a Facebook post on Tuesday (July 22). For example, he said if an individual uncovers improper conduct in a ministry, but that information is classified by the Official Secrets Act (OSA), even if he discloses it to an enforcement agency, he will not be accorded protection under the WPA. Syahredzan said laws such as the OSA and Section 203A of the Penal Code resulted in many whistleblowers and potential whistleblowers not falling under the ambit of protection within the WPA. 'With the amendment today, such disclosures are no longer disqualified. The proviso in Section 6(1) will be removed. In other words, even if the improper conduct is contained in a document classified under the OSA, the whistleblower can still be protected,' he said. He further said that if this bill becomes law after going through the Dewan Negara and the rest of the legislative process, a whistleblower will be protected even though the disclosure is prohibited by law. - Bernama
Malay Mail
9 hours ago
- Politics
- Malay Mail
Amendments to Whistleblower Protection Act a major reform even if info breaks other laws, says Syahredzan
KUALA LUMPUR, July 23 —The bill to amend the Whistleblower Protection Act 2010 (WPA) (Act 711), passed in the Dewan Rakyat yesterday, is a major amendment that will boost the effectiveness of the Act. Bangi MP Syahredzan Johan said the WPA was passed in 2010 to provide protection to whistleblowers, but there are several flaws in the Act that severely hampered its effectiveness. 'One major flaw in the Act is that the disclosure made must not be prohibited by any written law. This is found in a proviso in Section 6(1) of the Act. 'Thus, the disclosure of matters covered by the Official Secrets Act 1972, for example, would not attract protection under the Act. 'Consider the offence under Section 203A of the Penal Code of 'disclosure of information'. Under the section, a person who discloses any information or matter which he has obtained in the performance of his duties, or the exercise of his functions under any written law, commits an offence,' he said in a Facebook post yesterday. For example, he said if an individual uncovers improper conduct in a ministry, but that information is classified by the Official Secrets Act (OSA), even if he discloses it to an enforcement agency, he will not be accorded protection under the WPA. Syahredzan said laws such as the OSA and Section 203A of the Penal Code resulted in many whistleblowers and potential whistleblowers not falling under the ambit of protection within the WPA. 'With the amendment today, such disclosures are no longer disqualified. The proviso in Section 6(1) will be removed. In other words, even if the improper conduct is contained in a document classified under the OSA, the whistleblower can still be protected,' he said. He further said that if this bill becomes law after going through the Dewan Negara and the rest of the legislative process, a whistleblower will be protected even though the disclosure is prohibited by law. — Bernama
The Star
10 hours ago
- Politics
- The Star
Amendments to Whistleblower Protection Act a major reform, says Bangi MP
KUALA LUMPUR: The bill to amend the Whistleblower Protection Act 2010 (WPA) (Act 711), passed in the Dewan Rakyat on Tuesday (July 22), is a major amendment that will boost the effectiveness of the Act. Bangi MP Syahredzan Johan said the WPA was passed in 2010 to provide protection to whistleblowers, but there are several flaws in the Act that severely hampered its effectiveness. "One major flaw in the Act (prior to the amendment) was that the disclosure made must not be prohibited by any written law. This is found in a proviso in Section 6(1) of the Act. "Thus, the disclosure of matters covered by the Official Secrets Act 1972, for example, would not attract protection under the Act. "Consider the offence under Section 203A of the Penal Code of 'disclosure of information'. Under the section, a person who discloses any information or matter which he has obtained in the performance of his duties, or the exercise of his functions under any written law, commits an offence," he said in a Facebook post on Tuesday. For example, he said if an individual uncovers improper conduct in a ministry, but that information is classified by the Official Secrets Act (OSA), even if he discloses it to an enforcement agency, he will not be accorded protection under the WPA. Syahredzan said laws such as the OSA and Section 203A of the Penal Code resulted in many whistleblowers and potential whistleblowers not falling under the ambit of protection within the WPA. "With the amendment today, such disclosures are no longer disqualified. The proviso in Section 6(1) will be removed. In other words, even if the improper conduct is contained in a document classified under the OSA, the whistleblower can still be protected," he said. He further said that if this bill becomes law after going through the Dewan Negara and the rest of the legislative process, a whistleblower will be protected even though the disclosure is prohibited by law. - Bernama
Barnama
13 hours ago
- Politics
- Barnama
Amendments To Whistleblower Protection Act A Major Reform
KUALA LUMPUR, July 22 (Bernama) -- The bill to amend the Whistleblower Protection Act 2010 (WPA) (Act 711), passed in the Dewan Rakyat today, is a major amendment that will boost the effectiveness of the Act. Bangi MP Syahredzan Johan said the WPA was passed in 2010 to provide protection to whistleblowers, but there are several flaws in the Act that severely hampered its effectiveness. 'One major flaw in the Act is that the disclosure made must not be prohibited by any written law. This is found in a proviso in Section 6(1) of the Act. 'Thus, the disclosure of matters covered by the Official Secrets Act 1972, for example, would not attract protection under the Act. 'Consider the offence under Section 203A of the Penal Code of 'disclosure of information'. Under the section, a person who discloses any information or matter which he has obtained in the performance of his duties, or the exercise of his functions under any written law, commits an offence,' he said in a Facebook post today. For example, he said if an individual uncovers improper conduct in a ministry, but that information is classified by the Official Secrets Act (OSA), even if he discloses it to an enforcement agency, he will not be accorded protection under the WPA. Syahredzan said laws such as the OSA and Section 203A of the Penal Code resulted in many whistleblowers and potential whistleblowers not falling under the ambit of protection within the WPA. 'With the amendment today, such disclosures are no longer disqualified. The proviso in Section 6(1) will be removed. In other words, even if the improper conduct is contained in a document classified under the OSA, the whistleblower can still be protected,' he said. He further said that if this bill becomes law after going through the Dewan Negara and the rest of the legislative process, a whistleblower will be protected even though the disclosure is prohibited by law.
BusinessToday
18 hours ago
- Politics
- BusinessToday
PSmall Change, Big Impact, Whistleblower Act Amendment Passed In Parliament
The Dewan Rakyat today passed the Whistleblower Protection (Amendment) Bill 2025, marking a landmark legislation, which amends the Whistleblower Protection Act 2010 (Act 711), which is expected to significantly strengthen safeguards for individuals who report improper conduct, particularly in cases involving public interest. The passage of the bill marks a crucial step in addressing long-standing concerns about the effectiveness of existing whistleblower protections in Malaysia. A key amendment widely lauded is the removal of the proviso in Section 6(1) of the principal Act. Previously, this clause denied protection to whistleblowers if their disclosures contravened any other written law, such as the Official Secrets Act (OSA) or Section 203A of the Penal Code. Bangi MP Syahredzan Johan, debating the bill, highlighted the 'profound impact' of this change. 'The amendment may seem simple, just a deletion of a provision, but its impact is profound,' he told the Dewan Rakyat. 'Previously, whistleblowers were only protected if the disclosure didn't contravene any written law. That meant if they revealed information under the Official Secrets Act (1972) or Section 203 of the Penal Code, they weren't entitled to protection. This effectively disqualified many honest individuals who wanted to report wrongdoing.' The revised clause now allows disclosures made in the public interest to qualify for legal protection, even if the information in question would otherwise be restricted under secrecy laws. Another notable amendment allows authorities to exercise discretion in granting protection to whistleblowers who may themselves be implicated in misconduct, provided that such protection serves the public interest. This aligns Malaysia's approach more closely with international best practices, recognizing that insiders, even those with some involvement, are often the only ones with knowledge of hidden wrongdoing. The bill also includes the establishment of a Whistleblower Protection Committee. This committee will be tasked with overseeing the implementation of the Act, collecting data on whistleblower complaints, and providing general oversight on the powers of enforcement agencies. However, some civil society groups, including the Center to Combat Corruption and Cronyism (C4 Center), have previously voiced that while a positive step, this committee falls short of a fully centralized, independent whistleblower protection agency, calling for a clear timeline for such an establishment. Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said had earlier emphasiaed the importance of whistleblowers channeling their disclosures through proper enforcement agencies to ensure authenticity and avoid risks to national security. She also confirmed that enhanced protections under Section 7 of the Act now include specific references to the Witness Protection Act 2009 (Act 696), allowing for additional safeguards like relocation or new identities in serious cases. Related
