Putrajaya mulling better protection for whistleblowers - PM

 

PARLIAMENT | The government is in the midst of studying the provisions of relevant laws to enhance protection for whistleblowers who report corruption and misconduct.

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said it was among his main focuses as there were many whistleblowers including civil servants who may feel insecure and unsafe to report such cases due to pressure.

There was also a view from the legal side that this would not give way to any party to make false accusations or slander, he added.

“So, as an effort to get facts and information, I agree with the call (for amendment) and we will table it at the next Parliament session at the latest,” he said in reply to Mas Ermieyati Samsudin (Perikatan Nasional-Masjid Tanah) during the Minister’s Question Time at the Dewan Rakyat today.

Mas Ermieyati wanted to know the government’s commitment to amending the law relating to protection for whistleblowers which should be done as soon as possible as suggested by the All-Party Parliamentary Group Malaysia (APPGM) on Integrity, Governance and Anti-Corruption.

Masjid Tanah MP Mas Ermieyati Samsudin

MACC focusing on big fish

In reply to Lo Sui Fui’s (GRS-Tawau) original question about the improvement strategy to ensure that the investigation of corruption cases has a real impact and effect, Anwar said MACC’S focus at the moment is the investigation of large-scale corruption cases.

“Because too much time and energy had been spent to catch the ‘ikan bilis’ (small fry) which would not help much because corruption has become something systemic.

“I believe that the focus on the large-scale cases will convince the people, civil servants and political leaders that the MACC is now more aggressive,” the premier added.

Anwar cited the Sabah Water Department scandal, the electricity theft involving bitcoin mining, false claims of Penjana Kerjaya incentives and the traffic summons ‘discount’ syndicate as among the large-scale cases being investigated.

To Lo’s supplementary question on the formulation of a political funding law, Anwar said the government was also committed to doing it.

However, it was still in the early stage as several reports need to be studied before the draft can be submitted to the Parliamentary Select Committee, he explained.

- Bernama