MP calls for wider reporting avenues to protect whistleblowers

New Straits Times

a day ago

KUALA LUMPUR: Whistleblowers must be given the option to report to bodies other than the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission, the police, or other authorities, said Subang member of parliament Wong Chen
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.