Freedom Of Information Bill Expected To Be Tabled By Year-End - Anwar

PUTRAJAYA, July 15 (Bernama) -- The government is expected to table the Freedom of Information Bill by year-end to strengthen transparency and give the public real access to government decisions, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said today.

He said the bill is a vital step to building public trust and encouraging informed participation in the country's democracy. 

"We will bring this law to Parliament by the end of the year so the public can hold us to account.

"These reforms reflect our holistic and determined approach to building strong, fair and transparent institutions that serve all Malaysians with integrity," he said in his speech at the International Conference on Governance and Integrity 2025 here.

Also present were Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said, Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar and Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Chief Commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki.

Anwar said the government is also in the process of amending the Whistleblower Protection Act 2010 (Act 711) to provide broader and more meaningful safeguards. 

"This includes removing previous exclusions that limited protection and establishing an independent Whistleblower Protection Committee to ensure effective implementation," he said.

Meanwhile, speaking to the media after the conference, Azalina said both bills had been drafted.

"We hope by next session (October), this session unable to make it. Everything is on track,” she said.

In July last year, Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) M. Kulasegaran announced that the Freedom of Information Bill would grant all Malaysians access to information on any ministry or government agency.

However, he noted that information on personal data, matters that threaten national security, defence and diplomatic relations would be excluded.

-- BERNAMA