The Tasek Gelugor MP asks if input by the special select committee and others had been 'thrown into the bin'.
Wan Saiful asked whether the Attorney-General’s Chambers, which prepared the draft, had considered all the views submitted during the process.
“Did the AGC, which prepared this draft, really take into account all the views that were given, or were those views simply thrown into the bin?” he said in a Facebook post.
Earlier, he attended a townhall session organised by the special select committee on the FOI bill at Parliament.
He said several participants at the townhall session had raised concerns over Clause 22 of the proposed legislation, which he agreed should be reviewed.
“It seems to deny that the right to obtain information is a fundamental right,” he said.
Wan Saiful also thanked law and institutional reform minister Azalina Othman Said, who chairs the special select committee, for making a concerted effort to ensure the views raised were reflected in the draft bill.
Earlier today, Azalina said the proposed legislation must genuinely provide access to information and should not impose excessive restrictions that undermine its purpose.
She also stressed the importance of taking into account the role and freedom of the media in a democratic country.
Azalina said feedback from today’s public hearing showed positive response to the proposed legislation, although the public wanted greater transparency.
She said the special select committee would reconvene to review the issues raised before finalising the bill.
The Freedom of Information Bill 2026 was tabled for its first reading in the Dewan Rakyat on July 13 before being referred to the special select committee the following day.
The committee has since held several meetings and proceedings to obtain views from stakeholders. - FMT
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