FOI BILL PART OF BROADER PUSH FOR TRANSPARENCY, SAYS BHEUU DG

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 14 (Bernama) -- Malaysia’s efforts to draft its first-ever federal Freedom of Information (FOI) law mark an important milestone in strengthening transparency, accountability and good governance.

Director-general of the Legal Affairs Division (BHEUU) in the Prime Minister’s Department, Datuk Zamri Misman, said this year’s 10th anniversary of UNESCO’s designation of Sept 28 as International Day for Universal Access to Information (IDUAI) marked a decade of global progress and challenges in advancing the right to information, making Malaysia’s reform efforts even more timely and significant.

“This year marks a decade since the world recognised access to information as a human right. 

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“For Malaysia, this carries an even deeper meaning as we move steadily toward enacting our first-ever federal FOI law - a milestone in our pursuit of transparency, accountability and good governance.

“The FOI is not just a legal reform; it is a social contract, and it’s hard. FOI empowers citizens, helping them to make informed decisions, to participate meaningfully and also to hold institutions accountable,” he said in his opening remarks at the Roundtable on FOI in Malaysia: Strengthening the Legal Framework, Advancing Openness, held in conjunction with the IDUAI.

Among those present were the chairman of the Parliamentary Special Select Committee (PSSC) on Human Rights, Election and Institutional Reforms, William Leong Jee Keen, and Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ) executive director Wathshlah Naidu. 

Zamri added that on Oct 17, the Cabinet agreed that both the FOI Bill and the Ombudsman Bill, originally intended to complement one another, would be deferred to early 2026 to allow further refinement and to give the Attorney General’s Chambers sufficient time to review both drafts.

“The path to transparency is never linear, deformed by its nature, quite resistant, but it’s also inspiring to the world. As we continue this journey together, let us remember that the freedom of information is not just about assessing documents. It is about dignifying democracy,” he said.

Zamri noted that BHEUU conducted seven nationwide engagement sessions throughout 2024, involving more than 1,500 participants from government agencies, academia, civil society and foreign experts. 

Meanwhile, William said the PSSC is committed to ensuring that FOI efforts are grounded in open and inclusive consultation.

“We are here to champion open, inclusive consultation, particularly on the FOI monitor implementation and oversight mechanism, promote complementary reforms to law and institutions,” he said.

-- BERNAMA