The government is looking to strengthen the Whistleblower Protection Act 2010 (WPA) to afford greater protection to whistleblowers, said Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Paul Low.
He said it is too early to dwell on details at this time, but the changes would entail identifying safe channels that whistleblowers can trust, and enhancing protection for whistleblowers.
“If you cannot trust the person or institution that you whistleblow to, you are not going to whistleblow. So the issue of trust deficit is there and I'm looking at it seriously – to find who is the trusted person […]
“When you whistleblow, obviously the necessary protections must be there,” he said in a speech in Kuala Lumpur today.
He added that the person receiving complaints from whistleblowers must be of good reputation.
Currently, the WPA affords protection to whistleblowers from being identified, from criminal or civil liability and disciplinary action, and from any other 'detrimental action' against him.
In making the disclosure, however, the whistleblower must not break any laws.
This means the disclosure of potentially incriminating information that is protected by laws such as the Official Secrets Act 1972 or the Banking and Financial Institutions Act 1989 is not protected under WPA, and would instead attract criminal sanction.
Meanwhile, Low also told the audience that he hopes to table the Corporate Liability Bill this year, which would penalise companies if their employees engage in corrupt practices.
“I promised that two years ago, but hope this time in the third year, I'll get that through,” he said.
The process of studying cases in the UK and the US and coming up with a suitable law had taken some time, the senator added.
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