PUTRAJAYA: Any request to have protection under the Whistleblower Protection Act 2010 must be done according to existing legal procedures, says Fahmi Fadzil.
The Communications Minister, who also serves as the spokesman for the unity government, said that it will be hard to give blanket protection to all individuals and it would be done based on the law.
"The process must follow the existing legal procedures. And we request that the whistleblower file a report with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC)," he told a post-Cabinet meeting press conference here Friday (Nov 15).
Recently, a local news portal reported eight video recordings allegedly showing a state assemblyman discussing sums ranging from hundreds of thousands to RM4mil with a businessman in exchange for a state project.
The businessman, who remains unnamed, claims to have these recordings and has sought whistleblower protection from the MACC.
On Nov 9, MACC commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki revealed that the businessman had yet to file a formal report.
The MACC would need to authenticate his claims and the videos before considering his request for whistleblower status.
Since the businessman’s appeal for protection on Oct 30, social media has been flooded with at least a dozen alleged covert videos involving state officials.
Sources familiar with the case indicate that the businessman, believed to have links to a mining company, is seeking the return of payments made for a project he never received.
Asked if the Prime Minister would cut short his official trip abroad to address the issue, Fahmi said, "YAB (Prime Minister) will return to Malaysia, God-willing, next Wednesday, and certainly, in this day and age, if there is a need to respond to any issue or give a comment, it can be done anywhere. There is no issue."
On a separate matter, Fahmi, who is also the PKR information chief, refuted rumours PKR will change the voting mechanism used in its party polls by reverting to the delegate system.
"If you are unsure, don't share. I have seen a number of reports, and as the party information chief, I can confirm that no decision has been made yet.
"What we have now is just discussions but there is no decision yet
"It is hard for me to answer based on speculations," he added.
Since its establishment, PKR had adopted the delegate system to elect its leaders.
This changed in 2010 when its national congress approved a resolution to implement the "one man, one vote" system for the party polls.
PKR became the first political party in the country to introduce a direct election system, where every member at the branch level has the right to vote for national leaders.
