KUALA LUMPUR: The proposal for greater transparency in the drafting and amending the country's legislations would be reflected in the drafting of the Freedom of Information Bill, said Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said.
The Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reform) gave this assurance in her response to the call by a group of civil society organisations for a comprehensive overhaul of the legislative process in the country.
"I welcome the suggestions from all stakeholders.
"And I am pleased to share that these suggestions will be proposed to be covered under the Freedom of Information Bill.
"This will enhance the transparency of the process of government making laws for the best interest of the public," she told the New Straits Times.
The Pengerang member of parliament, however, did not elaborate on the progress of the drafting of the Freedom of Information Bill. She also did not elaborate when the Freedom of Information Bill is expected to be tabled in Parliament.
It was reported yesterday that the group, when calling for a complete overhaul of the legislation process, stressed that the Attorney General's Chambers (AGC) should not serve as the sole and final decision-maker for any legislation that was being drafted.
In a joint statement signed by 40 representatives, the group reckoned that the AGC must recognise that there were laws in the country that needed to be revised in line with the aspirations of international conventions that Malaysia has ratified.
They added that a number of numerous civil society organisations and concerned parties were often excluded or uninformed about dialogue sessions initiated by the Cabinet to introduce or revise legislation.
In a parliamentary written reply in November last year, Azalina said the Legal Affairs Division (BHEUU) under the Prime Minister's Department was in the process of identifying parameters and challenges with regards to the implementation to enact a Freedom of Information Act in a comprehensive manner.
The Act, she said, would be enacted to enhance the disclosure of information for the benefit of the people as well as to provide public access to information from public bodies and the government.
