Protect whistleblower Lalitha under the spirit of the law, says MP

 

Whistleblower protection should be granted to Lalitha Kunaratnam, says Bukit Gelugor MP Ramkarpal Singh.

PETALING JAYA: The use of legal action against whistleblower Lalitha Kunaratnam, who wrote articles linking the anti-corruption chief to share purchases, would be a mockery of the whistleblower protection law, an MP said today.

Bukit Gelugor MP Ramkarpal Singh said Lalitha deserved protection under the spirit of the law, although Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission chief commissioner Azam Baki could argue that she is not entitled to protection as she did not report her grievance to the relevant enforcement agency.

“I believe such an argument is flawed as it overlooks the spirit of protecting whistleblowers as they whistleblow in the public interest,” Ramkarpal said.

She should be afforded protection as her complaint is valid and worthy of being investigated, he said. The use of legal action against her, whether through a defamation suit or criminal prosecution, would make a mockery of the law.

Azam has threatened to file a defamation suit against Lalitha, an anti-corruption activist, who wrote of Azam’s ownership of shares in two public-listed companies. His lawyers have issued a letter of demand for a public apology and RM10 million in damages for tarnishing his reputation. - FMT