KUALA LUMPUR: The proposed amendments to the Whistleblower Protection Act 2010 are set to be tabled in the Dewan Rakyat this year.
Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reform) M. Kulasegaran said the proposal process began in May 2019 with a review of the act involving relevant agencies and soliciting input from stakeholders, including non-governmental organisations (NGOs).
He said engagement sessions were conducted to evaluate the preparedness of designated bodies for implementing the amended mechanisms and to anticipate potential implications that may arise upon enforcement of the amendments.
"The proposed amendments to enhance the act involve significant amendments to sections, namely sections 2, 3, 5, 6, 9, 11, 12, 13, 14, and 26, in particular and other sections in general.
"Through this proposal, the functions of receiving and investigating complaints will be clearer, thus ensuring that future investigations are impartial," he said during the question and answer session in the Dewan Rakyat.
He was responding to a question from Ramkarpal Singh (PH-Bukit Gelugor) about the government's intention to amend the Whistleblower Protection Act 2010 to incentivise more individuals to report instances of corruption.
Kulasegaran said the presentation of these proposals hinges on a comprehensive examination of the centralised agency cooperation policy.
He added that the government was actively evaluating mechanisms to centralise the reception of misconduct-related complaints and enhance protection for whistleblowers under the act.
"The proposed amendments involve establishing a specialised centralised agency, with training and procedures specifically tailored to the protection of whistleblowers, capable of addressing all matters related to the act.
"This is aimed at ensuring a focus on more organised, systematic, and transparent workflows for both the centralised agency and enforcement agencies to avoid confusion regarding their respective roles and responsibilities.
"It also will help in contribute to fostering a civil society that consistently rejects malpractice, upholds good governance, and enhances public confidence in effective governance."
