Freedom of information: Making it happen - Malaysia Today

Freedom of information: Making it happen
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Tuesday, 02 December 2008 14:14
The result would be a less corrupt, more transparent and mature society. Politicians and the civil service would have to be more professional, knowledgeable and accountable. By Deborah Loh, The Nut Graph     IN the first parliamentary sitting in 2008 this May, Subang Member of Parliament (MP) and Parti Keadilan Rakyat vice-president R Sivarasa tried to table a private member's bill on freedom of information (FOI).  Although it appeared in the order paper, the House never reached the item.     R SivarasaSivarasa, who is also a human rights lawyer, has re-submitted the bill twice since then to no avail. Unfortunately, he isn't expecting the bill to get any time.     "It gets pushed further down the order paper as more government bills are added. I think this is why private member's bills are so rare. Other modern parliaments allocate time for opposition or private bills, but not here." The treatment of private member's bills aside, Sivarasa's attempt to revive interest in FOI fulfils part of the Pakatan Rakyat's promise to the electorate before the 8 March 2008 elections to have a new law guaranteeing freedom of information.     Awareness on access to information laws is still lacking among politicians and the masses. But it is becoming increasingly clear that there is a need for it. This was recently highlighted when Works Minister Datuk Mohd Zin Mohamed announced that toll concessionaires, except for one, would declassify concession agreements made with the government.

 
 

FULL ARTICLE: <http://mt.m2day.org/2008/index2.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=15585&pop=1&page=0&Itemid=84>