The Freedom of Information (FOI) enactment passed in Penang and Selangor could come undone if Parliament passes a Penal Code amendment to penalise civil servants for leaking information.

NONEPadang Serai MP N Surendran, who led eight Pakatan Rakyat MPs at a press conference in the Parliament lobby, pointed out that federal law supercedes state laws.

He also cast doubt on the continued effectiveness of the Whistleblower Protection Act 2010 should Clause 11 of the Penal Code be amended.

Surendran had previously described the new provision as “worse than the Official Secrets Act (OSA)”.

Today, he likened the provision to drawing a "iron curtain" around government administration.

" ... If we have an officer in the state government who reveals some information, the federal government can still take action (despite the FOI)," noted PKR’s Batu MP Tian Chua.