Published: Tuesday November 10, 2009 MYT 1:06:00 PM
Updated: Tuesday November 10, 2009 MYT 7:00:30 PM
Selangor to declassify state info (Update)
By WANI MUTHIAH
SHAH ALAM: Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim said that efforts were underway to declassify the state’s information and that a freedom of information act would be tabled at the next sitting of the Assembly in March 2010.
The Freedom of Information (FOI) Enactment bill was aimed at strengthening democracy in the state, he said when tabling Selangor’s 2010 budget at the state assembly sitting on Tuesday.
“Although this enactment has yet to be passed, I have initiated the declassification of the state’s information in line with my rights as mentri besar in accordance with Section 2(c) of the Official Secrets Act (OSA),” said Khalid.
Khalid told a press conference later that the exercise was aimed at showing the people the benefit of information.
“We want to show the people that freedom to information has a lot of benefits,” he said, adding that some documents that had been declassified would be presented at the Assembly sitting on Wednesday to “unravel information” regarding several projects.
He said one set of documents was about reforestation and another was on the causes behind the abandoned Bukit Botak housing project. The third set was a report on the land allocated by the previous Barisan Nasional-led state government to Felda Bukit Cerakah settlers.
The developer engaged to build homes for the settlers has since abandoned the project and the settlers have been left in a lurch.
Khalid said the documents will tell the people who was behind the project as well as disclose the identities of the project’s “beneficiaries.”
When asked if the exercise would pave the way for a witch-hunt, Khalid said, “I don’t think there’s going to be a witch-hunt. People will become more responsible, cautious and in-the-know (after the documents have been revealed).”
With regard to the FOI enactment, Khalid said the draft has been completed but it will have to be carefully worded and fine-tuned to ensure it does not trigger a conflict with the OSA and thus come into dispute with the federal authorities.
The FOI enactment was first proposed in May, in conjunction with World Press Freedom Day.
Khalid had said then that the Pakatan Rakyat government in Selangor believed that all citizens had the right to have and know as much information as they needed.
“Only a well-informed citizenry can make good decisions on matters involving public interest. Freedom of information and media freedom stand shoulder to shoulder.
“Without access to information, how can journalists be effective in their jobs?” Khalid said.
He noted, however, that Federal Government legislation -- such as the OSA -- would still supersede any state government law.
Earlier story:
Selangor to enact Freedom of Info law
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