Latest news with #WhistleblowerProtectionAct2010
Daily Express
2 days ago
- Politics
- Daily Express
Freedom of Information Bill expected to be tabled by year-end: PM
Published on: Wednesday, July 16, 2025 Published on: Wed, Jul 16, 2025 By: Bernama Text Size: Pic by Bernama PUTRAJAYA: The government is expected to table the Freedom of Information Bill by year-end to strengthen transparency and give the public real access to government decisions, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim ( pic ) said today. He said the bill is a vital step to building public trust and encouraging informed participation in the country's democracy. Advertisement "We will bring this law to Parliament by the end of the year so the public can hold us to account. "These reforms reflect our holistic and determined approach to building strong, fair and transparent institutions that serve all Malaysians with integrity," he said in his speech at the International Conference on Governance and Integrity 2025 here. Also present were Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said, Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar and Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Chief Commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki. Anwar said the government is also in the process of amending the Whistleblower Protection Act 2010 (Act 711) to provide broader and more meaningful safeguards. "This includes removing previous exclusions that limited protection and establishing an independent Whistleblower Protection Committee to ensure effective implementation," he said. Meanwhile, speaking to the media after the conference, Azalina said both bills had been drafted. "We hope by next session (October), this session unable to make it. Everything is on track,' she said. In July last year, Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reform) M. Kulasegaran announced that the Freedom of Information Bill would grant all Malaysians access to information on any ministry or government agency. However, he noted that information on personal data, matters that threaten national security, defence and diplomatic relations would be excluded. * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia
Borneo Post
3 days ago
- Politics
- Borneo Post
Anwar: Freedom of Information Act to be tabled by year end to boost transparency
Anwar says the Bill will be tabled in Parliament by the end of this year. – Bernama photo PUTRAJAYA (July 15): Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim today confirmed that the government will introduce the much-anticipate Freedom of Information Act. He said the Bill will be tabled in Parliament by the end of this year. 'We will also introduce Freedom of Information Act to strengthen transparency and give the public real access to government decisions. This is a vital step in building public trust and encouraging informed participation in our democracy. 'We will bring this law to Parliament by the end of the year, so the public can hold us to account,' he said in his speech at the International Conference On Governance And Integrity 2025 here. The Freedom of Information Act would enhance the disclosure of information in the public interest, giving every individual the opportunity to access information. This includes submitting an application to any ministry, government department, or agency through, except for certain information such as personal data and matters that might threaten public order and national security. The legislation includes a proposal to set up a body that can be referred to if a department or ministry decides to deny access to a document. The body would consist of retired judges and experienced individuals to help ensure that the government's initiatives related to the legislation were more accessible and beneficial for the public. Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said told reporters that the bill will be brought to Parliament during the October session. 'Everything is ready. The next session won't be in time, but there's one more, the October session. Everything is fine, it's all on track,' she said when met after the event. Anwar also said that the government is in the process of amending the Whistleblower Protection Act 2010 (Act 711) to provide broader and more meaningful safeguards. 'This includes removing previous exclusions that limited protection and establishing an independent Whistleblower Protection Committee to ensure effective implementation,' he said. The amendment aims to strengthen protections for whistleblowers and ensure more effective laws in combating misconduct and leakages in the administration. Anwar said these reforms reflect the government's holistic and determined approach to build strong, fair, and transparent institutions that serve all Malaysians with integrity. – Malay Mail anwar ibrahim Freedom of Information Act parliament
New Straits Times
3 days ago
- Politics
- New Straits Times
Freedom of Information Bill to be tabled in October Parliament sitting
PUTRAJAYA: The Freedom of Information Bill and the amendment to the Whistleblower Protection Act 2010 will be tabled at the parliamentary sitting in October. Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said said all documents for the reforms were ready.
Focus Malaysia
25-06-2025
- Politics
- Focus Malaysia
Bribe first, blow the whistle when the deal turns sour? Sorry, that is not how the law works
NEWS that authorities plan to charge the so-called whistleblower in the Sabah mineral licence scandal has triggered plenty of public interest. But before anyone rushes to label this a blow to anti-corruption efforts, it is worth looking carefully at the facts. Not everyone who calls themselves a whistleblower is entitled to protection. The law draws a clear distinction between genuine whistleblowers acting in good faith and those seeking to cover their own wrongdoing. In this case, the businessman known as Albert walked into the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) and handed over videos and documents that allegedly show bribes were paid to secure mining licences in Sabah. But this was not the action of a neutral bystander. According to reports, Albert himself allegedly paid those bribes. He was right in the thick of the scheme. It raises a simple question: had the deal succeeded, would he have spoken out? Or would this 'hot air blower' have quietly pocketed the profits? Worse still, there is reason to suspect that the entire episode is a set-up. Are we prepared to let anyone with a grievance throw accusations into the public arena and hope that some of it sticks? Are we going to risk setting a precedent that undermines both governance and justice? The businessman's conduct also invites scrutiny. Why the full-face mask in public? Is he ashamed of his role in this saga? Bona fide whistleblowers like Julian Assange or Edward Snowden never concealed their identities. Genuine whistleblowers They stood by their actions. Henceforth, donning face masks give rise to the perception that their wearers might not be genuine whistleblowers but paid agitators with something to hide. In any case, the legal position on whistleblowing is clear. The Whistleblower Protection Act 2010 does not grant automatic immunity to those who took part in the crime. Section 11(1) allows for protection to be revoked if the whistleblower is found complicit. The Act also requires that reports be made in good faith through proper channels, not by splashing edited videos on social media. As MACC's legal head Datuk Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin has pointed out, these safeguards are vital. They protect true whistleblowers, not opportunists seeking to escape liability. Otherwise, we end up with a dangerous formula: Step 1: Pay bribes. Pay bribes. Step 2: If successful, enjoy the profits. If successful, enjoy the profits. Step 3: If the deal fails, leak videos and claim whistleblower status. That is not the message Malaysia should send. The country needs real whistleblowers, ie those who step forward because it is the right thing to do – not because their own schemes have failed. Blanket protection for opportunists will only encourage more corruption. In this case, prosecuting the businessman is the right step. It sets a clear standard: genuine whistleblowers will be protected. Those who try to play both sides will not. Corruption must, of course, be tackled. If public officials in Sabah are guilty of wrongdoing, let them face justice. But we should not be so naive as to canonise every self-proclaimed whistleblower who makes headlines. Sometimes, they are only blowing hot air. – June 25, 2025 Main image credit: Malaysiakini
Barnama
20-06-2025
- Barnama
Understand Procedures For Whistleblowers' Protection , Information Cannot Be Made Public
By Noraizura Ahmad KUALA LUMPUR, June 20 (Bernama) -- Individuals who report information about misconduct directly to enforcement agencies and meet the prescribed criteria and conditions will be granted protection as informants or whistleblowers. Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Senior Director (Legal and Prosecution Division) Datuk Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin said this is an important aspect the public needs to understand, apart from not being able to disclose the information to the public. He said that although the Whistleblower Protection Act 2010 protects informants against improper retaliation, such protection is only applicable if reports are made through legal procedures to enforcement agencies such as the MACC, the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) or relevant government agencies. 'There's a misconception that anyone with information about misconduct can automatically seek protection as a whistleblower. In reality, it's not that simple. 'A common misunderstanding is the belief that informants can publicly disclose information, for example, to the media or on social media, before officially applying for protection. This is incorrect,' he told Bernama. He said that in order to qualify for whistleblower protection, a report must also be made in good faith and not be driven by personal motives such as revenge or defamation. Additionally, the whistleblower must not be involved in the offence being reported, he added. Citing Section 11(1) of the Whistleblower Protection Act 2010, he said, protection can be revoked if the whistleblower is found to have participated in the misconduct they exposed.
