Penang-based social reform movement Aliran today slammed the government for pursuing action against the whistleblower in a scandal involving the Election Commission's plan to hire election workers from among the Puteri Umno ranks.

"Aliran is deeply concerned that the Barisan Nasional government has once again demonstrated indecent haste in reprimanding messengers of bad tidings. The recent police questioning of Harakah editor-in-chief Zulkifli Sulong is a case in point," the organisation said.

Zulkifli was questioned by police last Friday for publishing leaked letters exchanged between the commission's top officials and Puteri Umno chief Azalina Othman discussing the controversial arrangement.

PAS Youth chief Mahfuz Omar, who first raised the issue in Parliament last June, also distributed copies of the letters in Parliament last week to back his claims.

Since then, EC chairperson Abdul Rashid Abdul Rahman has said that controversial contents in the letters were the result of " technical error " by his staff and that the plan was merely to assist "jobless women".

Although the plan was subsequently aborted, the commission went ahead to lodge a police report calling for investigation into the leakage of the documents which are said to be protected under the Official Secrets Act (OSA).

Abdul Rashid told malaysiakini last week that the EC intended to find out who among its staff had leaked the damaging documents.

Integrity in question

In its press statement, Aliran said the police should instead be probing into the allegations of collusion between the EC and Puteri Umno rather than penalising those who revealed the letters.

"Such curiously quick action by the police only reinforces the suspicion that the government is not really serious about transparency in governance and public accountability."

Aliran said the government should instead initiate an open public inquiry as the allegations in the letters suggest impropriety in the conduct of Puteri Umno and the EC, whose integrity and independence are now in question.

In addition, the organisation said the latest episode well illustrates how the government can make use of the OSA to dissuade well-meaning people from coming forward to expose wrongdoings by those in power.

"This episode also shows that the OSA can be an effective deterrent to investigative reporting which is sorely needed within a media industry that is generally known for its acquiescence. The mandatory one-year imprisonment may well serve as an albatross over journalists and the public."

Those found guilty of violating the Official Secrets Act are liable to at least a mandatory one year imprisonment.