KUALA LUMPUR: Amendments to the Whistleblower Protection Act 2010 will be tabled in the Dewan Rakyat next year to clearly distinguish genuine whistleblowers from criminals seeking to hide behind the law, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
He said the amendments are crucial to closing loopholes that could be exploited, particularly by corrupt individuals or hardened criminals who claim to be cooperating with the authorities to evade legal action.
However, Anwar stressed that protection should not be granted indiscriminately to the extent that criminals or corrupt individuals are portrayed as ‘heroes’ simply because they make disclosures after committing serious offences.
"Whistleblowers must be clearly distinguished from criminals or corrupt individuals who attempt to take cover under the guise of being whistleblowers. These are two matters that must be clearly differentiated,” he told the Dewan Negara on Tuesday (Dec 16).
The Prime Minister was replying to a question from Senator Amir Md Ghazali on the government’s measures to strengthen integrity and transparency in law enforcement to curb abuse of power and leakages within enforcement agencies, including the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM).
Anwar also emphasised that the principle of 'no one is above the law' will continue to be applied uncompromisingly, including to influential or high-ranking individuals.
He added that whistleblower protection remains fully guaranteed, including the safety of whistleblowers and their families, in line with the government's efforts to foster a culture of courage in reporting misconduct among enforcement personnel and the public.
The Prime Minister noted that the responsible ministers are reviewing the matter, and the government is ready to table amendments to the Act early next year to establish clearer definitions, procedures and mechanisms, ensuring that whistleblower protection is not abused and continues to serve as a key instrument in strengthening national integrity.
Meanwhile, he stressed that integrity is the foundation of effective law enforcement, and without it, the government's success in securing a total of RM15.5bil in seizures, forfeitures and penalty collections would not have been possible.
"This is the first time in the country's history and demonstrates that previously there were loopholes and weaknesses," he said.
Anwar said that of this total, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) recorded forfeitures exceeding RM8bil, the PDRM nearly RM4bil, the Royal Malaysian Customs Department over RM2.5bil, while the Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry (KPDN) together with the Malaysia Competition Commission (MyCC) recorded seizures and penalty collections totalling RM1bil.
He said these achievements reflect more effective enforcement actions by the relevant agencies, including the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA). However, the government acknowledged that weaknesses still exist and need to be addressed.
Commenting on negative perceptions of enforcement agencies, particularly the PDRM, he said it is unfair to make sweeping judgments when the force has demonstrated its capability through integrity-driven actions in combating crime and smuggling. - Bernama
