Nazri: No need for law to protect whistleblowers
The Sun (May 8, 2008): The government does not intend to enact any law to ensure freedom of information or to protect whistleblowers, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Nazri Abdul Aziz said.
"This is because, under the Official Secrets Act (OSA), an item can be classified as secret but the cabinet meeting can decide to declassify it anytime when necessary," he told Dr Siti Mariah Mahmud (PAS-Kota Raja) in Parliament during question time.
In a supplementary question, Siti Mariah asked whether it would be done in line with the government’s decision to form the Malaysian Commission on Anti Corruption.
To her original question, Nazri said from 2003 to 2007, 544 government officers and staff were charged with various offences by the Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA).
"This involves 436 cases under the ACA Act, 67 under the Penal Code and other laws and one under the Anti-Money Laundering Act.
"The police were involved in 217 cases, education departments (59), local authorities (28), welfare departments (19), Islamic departments or councils (14), Road Transport Department (13), Public Works Department and Armed Forces or Defence Ministry (12 each), district land offices and Royal Customs Department (11 each) and other departments (148)," he said.
He said under the Anti Corruption Joint Committee, ACA will now focus on encouraging cooperation from government agencies, with emphasis on the aspect of internal control, instead of enforcement and punitive actions.
"By focusing on the critical departments, it will create a bigger impact on the effectiveness of corruption-prevention efforts," he added.
Nazri also said ACA will enhance cooperation with the Auditor-General's Department to check elements of corruption in government agencies and will concentrate on intelligence-based investigation cases, especially those involving syndicates.
To another supplementary question from Lim Kit Siang (DAP-Ipoh Timur), Nazri said: "There is political will in the Barisan Nasional (BN) government to fight corruption. This has been proven through the BN’s manifesto since the 2004 general election."
"This is because, under the Official Secrets Act (OSA), an item can be classified as secret but the cabinet meeting can decide to declassify it anytime when necessary," he told Dr Siti Mariah Mahmud (PAS-Kota Raja) in Parliament during question time.
In a supplementary question, Siti Mariah asked whether it would be done in line with the government’s decision to form the Malaysian Commission on Anti Corruption.
To her original question, Nazri said from 2003 to 2007, 544 government officers and staff were charged with various offences by the Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA).
"This involves 436 cases under the ACA Act, 67 under the Penal Code and other laws and one under the Anti-Money Laundering Act.
"The police were involved in 217 cases, education departments (59), local authorities (28), welfare departments (19), Islamic departments or councils (14), Road Transport Department (13), Public Works Department and Armed Forces or Defence Ministry (12 each), district land offices and Royal Customs Department (11 each) and other departments (148)," he said.
He said under the Anti Corruption Joint Committee, ACA will now focus on encouraging cooperation from government agencies, with emphasis on the aspect of internal control, instead of enforcement and punitive actions.
"By focusing on the critical departments, it will create a bigger impact on the effectiveness of corruption-prevention efforts," he added.
Nazri also said ACA will enhance cooperation with the Auditor-General's Department to check elements of corruption in government agencies and will concentrate on intelligence-based investigation cases, especially those involving syndicates.
To another supplementary question from Lim Kit Siang (DAP-Ipoh Timur), Nazri said: "There is political will in the Barisan Nasional (BN) government to fight corruption. This has been proven through the BN’s manifesto since the 2004 general election."
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