Freedom of Information Bill: 'Panel to review denied requests'

PARLIAMENT | The proposed draft Freedom of Information Bill will include a provision to set up an independent body tasked to review any denied requests submitted under the law, according to a deputy minister.

Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reforms) M Kulasegaran said the proposal was part of the government’s initiatives to promote freer access to information.

“Under this law, one of the proposals to be done is to set up an independent body.

“If there are any (government) departments that decided to deny access to any documents, it (the decision) can be referred to the body,” said Kulasegaran in response to a supplementary question from Abdul Latiff Abdul Rahman (PN-Kuala Krai).

Kulasegaran said members of the body would comprise retired judges, experts, and others.

“In principle, this is being done by the government to be more open and to benefit the people,” he added.

In his question, Latiff had asked whether the government, following enactment of the proposed law, would propose to limit the use of the Official Secrets Act 1972 to only matters that pose a threat to national security.

He added that the classification of documents under the OSA should also be bound to a decision by a Parliamentary Select Committee, not under a minister’s discretion.

Earlier, the deputy minister said the FOI Bill is targeted to be tabled in the Dewan Rakyat by year-end, and so far no federal government agencies engaged in discussions had expressed reservations to the matter.

However, he added further discussions are required at the state level, with “many parties” indicating a preference for a state legislation that allows them greater control over the data being requested.

So far only two Pakatan Harapan-led states - Selangor and Penang - have enacted an FOI law.

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