KUALA LUMPUR:The public can no longer be dealt with in a paternalistic manner, shielded from viewing the inner workings of the government under the guise of "national security and interest", say a group of activists.
Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ) and Centre to Combat Corruption and Cronyism (C4 Centre) in a joint statement said the introduction of Freedom of Information (FOI) or Right to Information (RTI) legislation, therefore, was a vital step in ensuring accountability and better scrutiny upon the government.
In support of the government's efforts to enact the law by the end of the year, CIJ's executive Director Wathshlah Naidu and C4 Centre's Policy and Legal Research Officer Prishanth Linggaraj joined a working study visit to Australia from Feb 24 to March 2.
"The visit was intended as an opportunity for Malaysian representatives to learn about key considerations that should be taken into account in the creation and implementation of a robust and holistic RTI framework, drawing from the experience of the Australian government, both at the federal and state levels," they said in a statement.
During the visit, CIJ and C4 Centre representatives joined the delegation headed by members of parliament Khoo Poay Tiong and Zahari Kechik from the Parliamentary Special Select Committee on Human Rights, Elections, and Institutional Reform, along with representatives from, among others, the Legal Affairs Division of the Prime Minister's Department, the Personal Data Protection Department (JPDP) and the Attorney-General's Chambers (AGC), as well as a representative of the Australian High Commission to Malaysia.
The Malaysian delegation had the opportunity to engage with various Australian leaders, departments and agencies, such as with the Attorney General, the Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister, the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner, the Commonwealth Ombudsman, the Administrative Appeals Tribunal, the Law Council of Australia, and a roundtable with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade; Department of Defence, Department of Home Affairs, and the Australian Federal Police.
The delegation also had the pleasure of meeting with several key figures in Australian administrative law reform: Professor John McMillan, former Senator John Faulkner, and Geoffrey Watson SC.
"Our in-depth discussions throughout this visit provided us with important insight on the challenges that must be addressed when establishing the Malaysian RTI regime, as well as the tangible benefits which can arise once a progressive and viable RTI Act is enacted.
"Decades of government secrecy have led to widespread corruption, abuse of power, and financial mismanagement, which must be addressed through greater transparency."