Latest news with #WhistleblowerProtection
Free Malaysia Today
a day ago
- Politics
- Free Malaysia Today
Lodge report against MACC officer who threatened you, Kula tells businessman
Deputy law and institutional reform minister M Kulasegaran speaking in Parliament during the winding-up of the Whistleblower Protection (Amendment) Bill 2025. (Bernama pic) KUALA LUMPUR : Deputy law and institutional reform minister M Kulasegaran has urged businessman Albert Tei to lodge a police report and name the anti-graft agency officer who allegedly threatened him not to go public with information about the Sabah mining scandal. 'This issue has also been raised by several MPs. It is a very serious allegation and one that cannot be accepted under any circumstances,' he said during his winding-up speech for the Whistleblower Protection (Amendment) Bill 2025 in the Dewan Rakyat today. 'I would like to advise the individual named Albert Tei to immediately file a report regarding this issue with the police and the MACC complaints committee under Section 15 of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009 (Act 694), by naming the MACC officer involved in the allegation.' Kulasegaran said that the government will not compromise on issues involving threats or intimidation, and stern action will be taken if the allegations are found to be true. 'Any individual who comes forward with information about misconduct must not be blocked or threatened by any party, especially by authorities who are supposed to protect whistleblowers under Act 711,' he said. Tei is currently standing trial on two charges of giving a total of RM350,000 in bribes related to mineral prospecting licence applications in Sabah to two assemblymen. Earlier today, lawyer Mahajoth Singh was reported as saying that Tei had approached MACC but was warned against coming forward before he exposed the Sabah mining scandal to Malaysiakini. Malaysiakini reported Mahajoth as saying that his client had first approached MACC at the end of October 2024, but was told by the anti-graft agency that he 'would be in trouble' if he came forward. Tei was also not offered any protection, the lawyer claimed. Mahajoth said this in response to law and institutional reform minister Azalina Othman Said, who said whistleblowers who approached the media before enforcement agencies were not entitled to protection under the Whistleblower Protection Act 2010. He said Tei decided to go public after being dismissed by the MACC and receiving death threats. The Sabah mining scandal surfaced last year following the leak of several videos purportedly showing discussions involving bribery and misconduct related to mineral exploration projects in the state. Tei and two other Sabah assemblymen have since claimed trial to charges of giving and receiving a total of RM350,000 in bribes related to mineral prospecting licence applications in the state.
Malay Mail
2 days ago
- Politics
- Malay Mail
Azalina: Whistleblowers only get legal protection if they go to authorities, not the media
KUALA LUMPUR, July 21 — Whistleblowers seeking protection under the Whistleblower Protection Act 2010 (Act 711) cannot make direct disclosures to the media; instead, they must first refer to legitimate enforcement agencies. According to Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said, the move was important to ensure the information provided is authentic and to avoid the risk of disclosing state secrets. 'Many people ask why whistleblowers who go to the media can also be seen as among those being accused, but in reality, the procedure does not allow you to go directly to the media. 'Whistleblowers must go to the responsible agency because the agency wants to assess the validity of the information... we want to determine that the state secrets are not at the level mentioned by the whistleblowers, especially on national security issues,' she said during a question-and-answer session in the Dewan Rakyat today. She was answering a supplementary question from Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong (BN-Ayer Hitam) regarding the government's decision to amend the definition of eligible whistleblowers in Act 711 so as not to exclude whistleblowers from protection under the Act. Azalina emphasised that fair legal procedures (due process) must be respected and the media should not be used as a place to pass premature judgement on any party. 'If a person, for example, goes to the media, there will be a premise of trial by media, meaning the media has already made a decision, the public has already made a decision about the offence, and this is also unfair to the legal process system in our country,' she said. Responding to Wee's original question about the current status of the Act's amendment, she said the government is currently in the first phase of the amendment, which involves the establishment of a Whistleblower Protection Committee responsible for overseeing, collecting statistics, and data related to disclosures and complaints made under Act 711. She said the amendments to be made for the second reading tomorrow will also involve proposals to improve Section 6 to ensure protection remains valid even if the disclosure touches on confidentiality aspects under other laws. Addressing concerns about the safety of whistleblowers in high-profile cases, Azalina said that in terms of information confidentiality, Section 8 of Act 711 will continue to apply automatically to all individuals recognised as whistleblowers. The identity and information related to the whistleblower are protected and cannot be disclosed without permission. The government also established an independent system like an ombudsman... because sometimes the problem with whistleblowers is when they provide information against law enforcement agencies. 'That is why when we look at the second phase, we really need an independent system called an ombudsman so that the guarantee is established and maintained,' she said. Azalina said that in certain cases, whistleblowers who are also involved in misconduct can still be given protection under the Witness Protection Programme, based on the assessment of law enforcement agencies. Responding to a supplementary question from Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan (PN-Kota Bharu) regarding the whistleblower case in the Sabah mining scandal, Azalina said she would answer in general, as the case is ongoing and she could not comment in detail as it can be seen as sub judice. However, she added that all whistleblowers must go through legal channels to be protected by law and hoped that the amendments to be presented would further strengthen the existing protection system. — Bernama
Free Malaysia Today
10-06-2025
- Politics
- Free Malaysia Today
Wong Chen must stick around and deliver
From Nurul Anna Mausar Subang Jaya MP Wong Chen announced yesterday that he will be going to France for a break. But it's more than a family holiday as he said he is contemplating his future in politics and expressed a deep concern over the slow pace of reforms. Perhaps he should consider some of the lessons of the French Revolution during which the government collapsed into terror and anarchy when rival factions turned on each other. Of course, Malaysia's scenario is not remotely comparable to that period of history, when the French Revolution devoured its children. Nonetheless, we saw the chaos that followed the Sheraton Move of 2020, which was partially rooted in factional strife within Wong's own party. I would urge Wong to take the time to recharge his battery and come back stronger. Yes, reforms have been taking their time but a few have been accomplished, many others are in the pipeline, and more can be done further down the road. Don't give up now, when so much hangs in the balance. Reforms have been achieved through the abolition of the mandatory death penalty, the passage of the Parliamentary Services Bill 2025, the Malaysian Media Council Bill 2024, and amendments to the Whistleblower Protection Act 2010. Other reforms have been promised in the short term, such as amendments to the Peaceful Assembly Act 2012, a review of the Judicial Appointments Commission Act 2009, proposed term limits for the prime minister, and the enactment of laws on urban renewal and freedom of information. Still more are under review such as separating the powers of the attorney-general and public prosecutor. Maybe even the full abolition of the death penalty. We have to acknowledge some political realities: the Madani government is an unwieldy multi-party coalition with differing degrees of commitment to reform. That's not an excuse. Just reality. For example, local council elections might be hard to push through as Pakatan Harapan has a very strong presence in Malaysia's urban centres but many other parties – both within and outside of the coalition – have a vested interest in preventing the return of such polls. One thing I am sure of: the likes of Wong must not surrender now. Instead, they must redouble their efforts. Nurul Anna Mausar is a law student and an FMT reader. The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of FMT.
Business Recorder
17-05-2025
- Politics
- Business Recorder
Whistleblower Protection and Vigilance Commission Bill approved
ISLAMABAD: A parliamentary body on Friday, unanimously, approved the Whistleblower Protection and Vigilance Commission Bill, 2025, paving the way for the creation of an independent body to safeguard individuals who expose corruption and wrongdoing. The Senate Standing Committee on Law and Justice, chaired by Senator Farooq Hamid Naek passed the legislation following a detailed briefing from the Ministry of Law and Justice. The bill, presented by Federal Minister for Law and Justice Azam Nazeer Tarar, aims to establish a robust legal framework to encourage whistle blowing while ensuring whistleblowers are shielded from reprisals. Officials from the ministry highlighted that although a whistleblower protection law has existed since 2017, it remained largely ineffective due to inadequate enforcement mechanisms. The new bill seeks to address these gaps by forming an autonomous Whistleblower Protection and Vigilance Commission. This body will be responsible for receiving disclosures, ensuring the anonymity of informants, and providing them with legal protection and possible rewards. Senator Naek underscored the importance of institutionalising whistleblower protection as a means to restore public trust and promote transparency within governance structures. According to the bill, whereas, it is expedient to provide for establishment of the Whistleblower Protection and Vigilance Commission in order to facilitate a mechanism for whistleblower information relating to corruption and to protect whistleblowers from disadvantageous measures and to give them rewards for such whistleblower information and for matters connected therewith and ancillary thereto. It says that the headquarters of the Commission shall be at Islamabad and it may establish offices at such other places in Pakistan as it considers necessary. The Commission shall be administratively and functionally independent and the government shall use its best efforts to promote, enhance and maintain the independence of the Commission. The Commission shall consist of at least three members including a chairperson and the government shall have power to increase the number of members from time to time as it may consider appropriate. In addition to the whistleblower bill, the committee also reviewed the Pakistan Penal Code (Amendment) Bill, 2025, which proposes changes to the current laws on diyat—financial compensation for unintentional homicide. The proposed amendment seeks to standardise the diyat amount at Rs30,600 along with 36 grams of silver. An alternative clause suggests payment in the form of 2,000 grams of gold or one-fourth of the convicted individual's total estate and resources. Committee members voiced serious concerns about the feasibility and legal implications of these amendments, particularly questioning whether the state could or should pay diyat on behalf of convicts. Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar also expressed doubts, warning that the proposed changes could impose an undue financial burden and raise equity issues. The committee decided to consult the Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) for guidance and invited the Ministry of Interior to provide its input at the next meeting. The meeting was attended by senators, Shahadat Awan, Zamir Hussain Ghumro, Federal Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar, and senior officials from the Ministry of Law and Justice. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
