Freedom of Information Act will be done in stages says Nurul Izzah

SUBANG: The Pakatan Harapan federal government is committed to implement the Freedom of Information Act (FIA) in line with its election manifesto.

Permatang Pauh MP Nurul Izzah Anwar pledged that the law will be formulated in stages.

The plan is to make sure that the various parliament Select Committees are put in place before the FIA is finally enacted.

"Of course we will take it up in different phases.

"My concern is also to make sure that the Select Committees are implemented in Parliament.

"This is because Parliament has to be a strong arm to check the excesses of the executive," she said at a forum titled Asia's Struggle on Fake News.

Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Liew Vui Keong had reportedly said that the formulation of the FIA required an in-depth study to ensure it would not contravene any of the existing laws.

The minister, who is in charge of the law portfolio, said it was also in line with the Pakatan government's commitment to review the Whistleblower Protection Act 2010, the Official Secrets Act 1972 and the Witness Protection Act 2009.

"So far, two states namely Penang and Selangor have enforced (passed) the enactment of freedom of information in 2010 and 2011," he said.

Last Thursday (Aug 16), the Pakatan-led government repealed the Anti-Fake News Act in the Dewan Rakyat.

Nurul explained that the government had to abolish the law because not only does it go against the principle of media freedom but it was also "a badly drafted law."

She said Pakatan, which was the Opposition when the law was passed, was concerned over the (wide and vague) definition of fake news.

"The definition of fake news is a person who publishes partly or wholly (something) deemed as fake news.

"It will be decided by the judge which can be problematic. Who gets to define or control the definition of fake news?," she asked.

"In Malaysia it is fine to criticise an elected government so they will be answerable to the people.

"A certain degree of criticism (is needed) so that they (the government) can live up to their responsibilities.

"A law cannot be enacted just to protect those in power," she said.