PKR's Pandan MP Rafizi Ramli is not protected under the Whistleblower Protection Act as he exposed the information publicly, said Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Nancy Shukri.

"In this case, he was not protected under this Act (Whistleblower Protection Act) because (he) had revealed the information openly at a press conference dated March 24 and March 28," she said.

His identity was exposed in the process and thus he does not qualify to be a whistleblower and be protected under the Act, she said in a parliamentary written reply yesterday.

Azalina was responding to Lim Guan Eng (DAP-Bagan) who asked why Rafizi was not protected under the Whistleblower Protection Act and instead charged under the Official Secrets Act (OSA).

On April 8, Rafizi, who is also PKR vice-president and secretary-general, was charged with disclosing a confidential document and possessing a document regarding 1MDB which was classified under OSA.

[More to follow]