THE Whistleblower Protection Act 2010 will be reviewed to take into account social change since the law was first passed nine years ago, said Liew Vui Keong.

“In the past nine years, the country has developed and conditions have changed,” said the de facto law minister.

“Now there is a need to make amendments in accordance with the current situation in Malaysia,” he said after attending the Whistleblowers Protection Law forum in the capital today, organised by graft monitoring civil society group Transparency International Malaysia,

Transparency International Malaysia president Mohamad Mohan said, under the act, the public can only seek protection from seven agencies, including the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission, police and customs.

“They only get protection if they report to any of these agencies,” he said, adding that reporting through other channels like internally within their organisations was still an unknown quantity.

“The act doesn’t provide protection if whistle-blowing is internal,” he said, adding Section 6 in the act nullifies the protection for the whistle-blowers if the disclosure is prohibited by other written laws.

“This seems to contradict the spirit of giving protection to a whistle-blower.

“So, we believe the act should be reviewed.”

Liew said that they will look into any shortcomings and are currently collecting feedback to be tabled next year.

“Our legal affairs department is looking into it.”

The Whistleblower Protection Act 2010 provides protection to whistle-blowers who voluntarily come forward to report or reveal information on corruption from either the public or private sector.

The identity of the whistle-blower and the information provided are kept confidential from any party.

Whistle-blowers are also given immunity from any civil, criminal or disciplinary action. – October 30, 2019.