Freedom Of Information Crucial Especially During Pandemic



“In a time of crisis, many procedures get subverted in the name of the Emergency and a lack of check and balance. This is exactly how our rights get further snatched away from us”
(FMT) – An anti-graft watchdog and a media advocacy group have highlighted how the Covid-19 pandemic has made freedom of information all the more important.
Speaking to FMT in conjunction with today’s United Nations’ International Day for Universal Access to Information, the Center to Combat Corruption and Cronyism (C4) and the Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ) both emphasised how the free flow of information was crucial to achieving accountability and transparency – and ultimately helping the public make informed decisions.
“In a time of crisis, many procedures get subverted in the name of the Emergency and a lack of check and balance. This is exactly how our rights get further snatched away from us,” said C4 executive director Cynthia Gabriel.
“If we had federal legislation on freedom of information, any individual can apply for information regarding vaccines, stimulus packages, understand better how large chunks of public funds are spent, and demand for greater accountability.” Cynthia Gabriel. She noted how Parliament did not sit for six months during the Emergency which ran from January to August, adding that several emergency ordinances approved during this period – especially on financial expenditure – raised a lot of concern as money was “flowing freely without any scrutiny”.
Cynthia also highlighted how the government had yet to explain the RM11.5 billion in loans registered on Bank Negara Malaysia’s website a few days before former prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin stepped down on Aug 16.
The BNM website showed billions of ringgit in bonds issued by the government with the central bank as the facility agent, with the three transactions labelled as Malaysian Islamic Treasury Bills, Malaysian Government Securities and Government Investment Issues.
“What was that about? We have asked for clarity but there has been none,” she said.
Meanwhile, CIJ’s Right to Information (RTI) programme officer Lee Shook Fong noted that since information held by public authorities is essentially public information, there has to be a shift away from a culture of secrecy to a more open and transparent government.
“(This) requires enacting a law that would create a more progressive information regime,” she said.
“In these challenging times, especially as we continue to battle the Covid-19 pandemic, having access to timely, credible and verifiable information would help the public be better informed about issues that affect them.
Lee Shook Fong. “In times of crisis, it is also crucial that the government adopts the measure of public disclosure of information as an effective tool to combat misinformation, as opposed to restricting the public’s access to important information.
“For example, we would want more information about why some vaccines work for some, but not for others. What is the government doing to ensure a more efficient vaccine rollout?”
She added that when the public is equipped with the right information, they would have better knowledge about an issue or situation – thus better positioning them to make informed decisions or calls for action regarding proposed policies, rules or infrastructure projects.
Lee said examples of this include providing communities with reasonable access to pertinent information such as environmental impact assessment (EIA) reports for proposed developments near their residential areas.
Cynthia also touched on how freedom of information is vital for communities looking to learn about environmental issues which affect them, taking the controversial Kuala Langat North Forest Reserve degazettement – and eventual regazettement after overwhelming public objection – as a key example.
Technical reports on the degazettement, outcome documents from the town hall session and requests for copies of the forestry department’s report on the forest reserve were never granted.
This was despite tens of thousands of Selangor residents having voiced their concern about the health and climate risks associated with the degazettement, and potential development, of the forest reserve.
And while the decision to degazette the forest reserve was made on May 5 by the Selangor state executive council, the public only found out about it nearly four months later on Aug 30 – when Selangor executive councillor Hee Loy Sian made the revelation at the state legislative assembly.
This was despite Selangor being one of only two states in the country which has freedom of information enactments, the other being Penang. However, federal laws such as the Official Secrets Act (OSA) stem the free flow of certain information by classifying it as official secrets – even in these two states which are under a Pakatan Harapan administration.
Then Selangor menteri besar Azmin Ali noted as much during his keynote closing address at a forum titled “Zooming in – an honest assessment of Freedom of Information (FoI) in Malaysia” in July 2016, when he said the “onerous” OSA represents the single greatest barrier to more transparency and accountability of the government to its citizens.
“In fact, as rightly pointed out, secrecy breeds corruption,” he said.
“But even worse, employed as a pretext for arbitrary executive action, secrecy via the law is used as a weapon of oppression.”


Artikel ini hanyalah simpanan cache dari url asal penulis yang berkebarangkalian sudah terlalu lama atau sudah dibuang :

https://www.malaysia-today.net/2021/09/28/freedom-of-information-crucial-especially-during-pandemic/

Kempen Promosi dan Iklan
Kami memerlukan jasa baik anda untuk menyokong kempen pengiklanan dalam website kami. Serba sedikit anda telah membantu kami untuk mengekalkan servis percuma aggregating ini kepada semua.

Anda juga boleh memberikan sumbangan anda kepada kami dengan menghubungi kami di sini
Merge And Reform Private Unis Post Pandemic

Merge And Reform Private Unis Post Pandemic

papar berkaitan - pada 21/9/2021 - jumlah : 216 hits
From Geoffrey WilliamsPrivate higher education institutions have been hit hard by the Covid 19 pandemic with lockdowns affecting current students as well as enrolment of new students According to the National Association of Private Educatio...
Kit Siang All Malaysians Want To See Kj Win The Pandemic War

Kit Siang All Malaysians Want To See Kj Win The Pandemic War

papar berkaitan - pada 27/9/2021 - jumlah : 277 hits
Veteran DAP leader Lim Kit Siang who faithfully keeps tabs on the Covid 19 statistics lauded Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin as the number of new cases has declined The Iskandar Puteri MP said that he is vigilant and critical on this matt...
Startups Booming Amidst Pandemic

Startups Booming Amidst Pandemic

papar berkaitan - pada 16/9/2021 - jumlah : 277 hits
Startups companies have been booming during pandemic After waning for decades applications to surged last year If the rebound proves durable it could provide a more resilient economy The coronavirus pandemic appears to have unleashed a tida...
Maszlee Draws Up Post Pandemic Edu Policies Moots On Demand E Learning

Maszlee Draws Up Post Pandemic Edu Policies Moots On Demand E Learning

papar berkaitan - pada 16/9/2021 - jumlah : 273 hits
How does Netflix style on demand video lessons for school children sound This was among several education policy suggestions made by Simpang Renggam MP Maszlee Malik for the post pandemic world The former education minister told reporters t...
In Malaysia Young People Find Their Voice Amid A Pandemic

In Malaysia Young People Find Their Voice Amid A Pandemic

papar berkaitan - pada 29/9/2021 - jumlah : 272 hits
Youth groups are now campaigning for an array of causes from refugee rights to climate change and decriminalising suicide dissecting legislation and policies into more understandable and shareable forms across Instagram TikTok and Twitter E...
Misuse Of Glcs Seen As Factor In Poor Handling Of Pandemic

Misuse Of Glcs Seen As Factor In Poor Handling Of Pandemic

papar berkaitan - pada 1/10/2021 - jumlah : 169 hits
As Malaysia was then facing a political crisis following the unexpected change of government MPs who were not appointed to the new and extremely large Cabinet were given GLC appointments instead An economist has blamed the alleged misuse of...
Where S The Rest Of The Cabinet During Anwar S Debate Asks Nga

Where S The Rest Of The Cabinet During Anwar S Debate Asks Nga

papar berkaitan - pada 28/9/2021 - jumlah : 249 hits
Anwar Ibrahim debating the 12th Malaysia Plan today Only five ministers and deputy ministers were in the House during his speech KUALA LUMPUR Former deputy Dewan Rakyat speaker Nga Kor Ming voiced disappointment over how most of the Cabinet...
Lil Baby Upset As Fans Only Throw Two Bras At Him During Concert

Lil Baby Upset As Fans Only Throw Two Bras At Him During Concert

papar berkaitan - pada 24/9/2021 - jumlah : 222 hits
Lil Baby Upset as Fans Only Throw Two Bras at Him During Concert Lil Baby Upset Fans Only Throw Two Bras Him During Concert
Bank Islam Berwajah Baru Melalui Aplikasi Dan Web

Let S Not Return To The Old Ways Of Tight Media Control

Company Director Scammed Of Over Rm1mil By Inspector Harun

O G Firm Right To Dismiss Worker For Refusing Covid 19 Jab Says Industrial Court

Bersatu Needs A Clear Agenda For Malaysians Says Wan Saiful

Kathryn And Sydney S Fantastic Pantyhose Adventure Part One

Orang Tua Sekarang Membunuh Anaknya Secara Halus

Seorang Sahaja Zul Ariffin Tersasul Doa Minta 4 Isteri


echo '';
Senarai Lagu Tugasan Konsert Minggu 1 Gegar Vaganza 2024 Musim 11

Info Dan Sinopsis Drama Berepisod Dhia Kasyrani Slot Akasia TV3

Biodata Terkini Reshmonu Peserta Gegar Vaganza 2024 Musim 11 GV11 Penyanyi Lagu Hey Waley

Gegar Vaganza 2024 GV 11 Hadiah Tiket Peserta Juri Format Pemarkahan Dan Segala Info Tonton Live Di Astro Ria Dan Sooka

6 Janji Donald Trump Kalau Dia Naik Jadi Presiden Semula


12 Perkataan Baharu Yang Dimasukkan Kamus Dewan Bahasa Dan Pustaka

Lirik Lagu Kamu Tak Sendiri Jemimah Cita

Dayana Amerda Jatuh Cinta Chord

Selamat Tahun Baru 2025 Contoh Ucapan Kata Motivasi

Pahang Mencatatkan Kejayaan Yang Luar Biasa Dengan Jumlah Jualan As 63 9 Juta Di Mihas Dubai

The Youth Who Could See The Wind En Magisk Resa Genom Frankrikes 17 E Hundrade