Malaysia strengthens whistleblower protection with new legal amendments
The Legal Affairs Division (BHEUU) hailed the amendments as a crucial development under the National Anti-Corruption Strategy 2024–2028.
According to BHEUU, the updated law aims to encourage more individuals to report misconduct without fear of retaliation.
'The MADANI government remains committed to rejecting all forms of intimidation against whistleblowers and will continue to strengthen protection policies to build a more transparent, accountable and corruption-free Malaysia,' the agency stated.
Key reforms include the formation of a Whistleblower Protection Committee to oversee implementation and the removal of legal loopholes that previously allowed protection for corrupt acts.
'This principle is crucial to ensure that any misconduct or harmful action occurring in the public or private sector can be exposed, provided the disclosure is made responsibly and in accordance with the stipulated conditions,' BHEUU explained.
Additional safeguards extend protection through the Witness Protection Programme for those facing threats after reporting wrongdoing.
The amendments also introduce Section 11(1A), granting enforcement agencies discretion to maintain or revoke protection based on public interest.
'These amendments are vital in allowing for the revocation of protection if a whistleblower is found to have participated in the misconduct in question,' the statement added.
BHEUU expressed gratitude to lawmakers, stakeholders, and civil society for their contributions in shaping the reforms.
The amendments are expected to reinforce public trust in governance while ensuring accountability across sectors. – Bernama
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New Straits Times
7 minutes ago
- New Straits Times
Over 160,000 BNPL users have RM121.8mil in outstanding debt
KUALA LUMPUR: A total of 168,967 'Buy Now Pay Later' (BNPL) account holders, or 2.6 per cent of the total 6.5 million users, had outstanding balances as at June 30, 2025, said Deputy Finance Minister Lim Hui Ying. She said the outstanding BNPL loan balance for the same period stood at RM3.8 billion, representing 0.2 per cent of Malaysia's total household debt. However, the amount of BNPL debt that was unpaid or overdue remained manageable, amounting to RM121.8 million or 3.2 per cent of the total BNPL loan balance, she said during a question and answer session in the Dewan Rakyat today. She was responding to a question from Mohd Syahir Che Sulaiman (PN-Bachok) regarding the current status of BNPL debt in the country and the government's efforts to mitigate the risk of excessive indebtedness. Citing a 2024 study by the Consumer Credit Oversight Board Task Force involving 21,000 active BNPL account holders, Lim said BNPL users generally exhibited good financial discipline. "They also repaid BNPL loans with a low default rate. According to the study, approximately 88 per cent made all payments on time, 12 per cent made late but full payments, and fewer than 0.5 per cent were unable to repay in full," she said. In response to a supplementary question from Khoo Poay Tiong (PH-Kota Melaka), Lim said the Consumer Credit Commission (CCC), which will be established under the Consumer Credit Act 2025, will adopt a risk-based and proportionate supervisory approach for credit consumers. She said supervision would be carried out through periodic inspections and ongoing monitoring, the same methods used by Bank Negara Malaysia and the Securities Commission Malaysia. "The CCC's supervisory approach will prioritise the protection of credit consumers, focusing on fair treatment, transparency, and the development of a responsible credit market. "This will be supported by a regulatory framework that includes licensing and conduct standards under the Consumer Credit Act, empowering the CCC to supervise credit providers and credit service providers, and to take appropriate enforcement action," she added.
Free Malaysia Today
25 minutes ago
- Free Malaysia Today
MPs back plan to make Form 5 education compulsory
Education minister Fadhlina Sidek said students who drop out early face a higher risk of unemployment, poverty, child marriage, and petty crime. (Bernama pic) KUALA LUMPUR : The Dewan Rakyat heard an extensive debate from 33 MPs on an amendment to the law that will make it mandatory for all students to study up to Form 5, rather than stopping at primary school. Most of the MPs raised concerns about the proposed RM5,000 fine and/or six months' jail term for parents who failed to comply with the new law. Opposition members, while supporting the amendment, called for a delay in the enforcement of these penalties, and urged the government to prioritise educating parents instead. Tabling the bill to amend the Education Act, education minister Fadhlina Sidek said the proposed law was necessary because too many students were dropping out after primary school. She noted that while enrolment for primary education reached 99.39% in 2024, upper secondary enrolment stood at just 92.6% – below the UN's minimum target of 95%. Fadhlina said students who drop out early face a higher risk of unemployment, poverty, child marriage, and petty crime. She said enforcement of the new law would be supported by targeted aid programmes, including school meal subsidies, transport assistance, and expanded access to vocational and STEM education. During the debate, Dr Taufiq Johari (PH-Sungai Petani) described the bill as a 'moral declaration' affirming every child's right to complete their education. Taufiq also linked youth apathy to lack of education, recalling a viral interview where many young people were unable to answer basic questions about democracy. He called for punitive measures to be paused and for more targeted support, such as school transport, food aid, and mental health services. Rodiyah Sapiee (GPS-Batang Sadong) supported the bill, calling it a 'structured way' to break the cycle of school dropouts, early marriage, and child labour. Radzi Jidin (PN-Putrajaya) said the bill was long overdue and built on reforms initiated during his tenure as education minister. He called for clarity on exemptions for private religious schools and homeschoolers. 'There are parents who send their children to unregistered institutions like tahfiz schools or practise homeschooling. Will they be automatically exempt, or must they apply?' he asked. Syerleena Abdul Rashid (PH-Bukit Bendera) praised the bill as a bold intervention against child marriage, poverty, and lost potential. She said ending school at age 12 left too many girls vulnerable.
Free Malaysia Today
26 minutes ago
- Free Malaysia Today
Local councils owe SWCorp nearly RM500mil for cleaning services, says MP
DAP MP Howard Lee said the debts stem from a 2011 arrangement under which the federal government took over waste services in several states. KUALA LUMPUR : Local councils owe nearly half a billion ringgit to Solid Waste Management and Public Cleansing Corporation (SWCorp) for rubbish collection and street cleaning services, according to Howard Lee (PH-Ipoh Timur). Lee said RM493 million in unpaid waste management fees is owed to SWCorp, a federal agency under the housing and local government ministry that manages domestic rubbish collection and public cleaning in states that have adopted the national waste system. Presently, Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya, Johor, Melaka, Negeri Sembilan, Pahang, Kedah and Perlis have signed on with SWCorp. 'Rubbish has been picked up, the streets cleaned but the money never came,' he told the Dewan Rakyat in debating the 13th Malaysia Plan. Lee, who sits on SWCorp's board, said the debts stem from a 2011 arrangement under which the federal government took over waste services in several states. He said local councils were expected to make yearly contributions into a fund managed by SWCorp, but their failure to pay is now hurting payments to waste contractors. He urged the federal government to instruct local councils to raise their monthly instalments to slowly pay off the arrears. As for those who still couldn't afford it, Lee suggested that their respective state governments step in to help. He also suggested that Putrajaya should allow struggling councils to apply for soft loans, sell physical assets to raise money, and start budgeting repayments in full as part of their 2026 budgets. This year alone, the federal government had stepped in to assist, giving out RM8 million in grants to eight councils to help with repayments. Lee said to ensure full compliance, the ministry should impose penalties on councils that refuse to pay up. Strict licensing rules limiting trained eldercare workers Lee also raised concerns about the country's preparedness to care for its growing elderly population, noting that strict licensing rules have made it difficult for care centres to accept student trainees from the national skills training programme. He added that many centres lack the necessary licences from welfare or health authorities, contributing to a shortage of trained eldercare workers. To address this, Lee proposed that the government allow these centres to accept interns without requiring full licences, provided they meet minimum standards set by a professional care group. 'We have so many elderly people waiting to have their diapers changed, but we're stuck with the issue of licensing. 'It doesn't match the urgency on the ground,' he said.
