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, says Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
He said the amendments are crucial to close loopholes that could be exploited, particularly by corrupt individuals or hardened criminals who cooperate with the authorities to evade legal action.
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 yesterday, Bernama reported.
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.
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 said 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.
Meanwhile, Anwar also stressed that the government will not tolerate criminals who are alleged to be “roaming free”, creating the impression that enforcement authorities are weak in tackling their activities.
Citing the recent case of three male criminals shot dead in Melaka, he said it will be investigated by the police.
“I have received assurances from the Inspector-General of Police and the Criminal Investigation Department (Bukit Aman) that the investigation will be thorough and transparent, with no compromise. Their report has been submitted to the Attorney-General today for further action,” he added.
Anwar said the action demonstrates that the government will not compromise in cases of police misconduct and that all allegations will be fully investigated in accordance with the law.
Regarding deaths of detainees, he said many claims suggested the fatalities involved only one ethnic group, while the facts showed that other groups were also affected, including Malays (25), Chinese (nine), Indians and Sabah and Sarawak Bumiputeras (four each), as well as foreign nationals (15).
“Of course, there are certain shortcomings that we cannot deny, but to portray the situation negatively would be unfair,” he said.
He also reminded the public to distinguish between cases of enforcement misconduct and decisive actions against criminals who threaten public safety, while reaffirming the government’s commitment to strengthening the integrity of the nation’s enforcement agencies.
The number of cases involving criminals is very small relative to the country’s total population of 34.5 million, representing less than 0.5% of the population, he noted.
He added that to ensure accountability and justice are upheld, the government has established checks and balances, including the Enforcement Agency Integrity Commission and the Independent Police Conduct Commission, which allow any party to refer cases for further action if they remain dissatisfied.
