Towards a better governance in the new Malaysia: are we ready for freedom of information laws?

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building INTELEK Repository
collection Online Access
collectionurl https://intelek.unisza.edu.my/intelek/pages/search.php?search=!collection407072
date 2018-10-24 08:31:49
eventvenue UNISZA
format Restricted Document
id 6578
institution UniSZA
originalfilename 1541-01-FH03-FUHA-18-17544.pdf
person nazlismail@gmail.com
recordtype oai_dc
resourceurl https://intelek.unisza.edu.my/intelek/pages/view.php?ref=6578
spelling 6578 https://intelek.unisza.edu.my/intelek/pages/view.php?ref=6578 https://intelek.unisza.edu.my/intelek/pages/search.php?search=!collection407072 Restricted Document Conference Conference Paper application/pdf 11 Adobe Acrobat Pro DC 20 Paper Capture Plug-in 1.7 nazlismail@gmail.com 2018-10-24 08:31:49 1541-01-FH03-FUHA-18-17544.pdf UniSZA Private Access Towards a better governance in the new Malaysia: are we ready for freedom of information laws? The exponential development of vast arrays of web-based communication channels have perversely led to the dissemination of massive amount of unsubstantiated facts in the electronic environment. The pernicious repercussion of this scenario is that the public will be having difficulty in discerning the truth out of this information overload. The situation is further exacerbated by the unnecessary secrecy in the government and the lack of official data on matters of public interest. There is no easy solution to the problem but the right to freedom of information could provide some assistance by facilitating access to government-held information. The importance of such a right in a democratic country has been recognised as integral part of the fundamental right to freedom of speech and expression. Accordingly, freedom of information has been explicitly incorporated alongside with the right to free speech in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). Further, the right to freedom of information has also been recognised by the three regional human rights bodies of Europe, Africa and Inter-American. Unfortunately, not only express provision that confers freedom of information on its citizens is nowhere to be found in the Federal Constitution, their right to access information from official sources is further restrained by the provisions of the Official Secrets Act 1972. Recognising the importance of freedom of information, this paper seeks to examine the possibility of having freedom of information laws in the country. In so doing, the provisions of the Federal Constitution scrutinised. In conclusion, it is submitted that it is now timely for the new government to enact freedom of information laws so as to ensure transparency in governance as well as to enable the people to make informed judgments on any government policies or other matters of public interest. 1-11 International Conference on Law & Globalisation 2018 (ICLG2018) UNISZA
spellingShingle Towards a better governance in the new Malaysia: are we ready for freedom of information laws?
summary The exponential development of vast arrays of web-based communication channels have perversely led to the dissemination of massive amount of unsubstantiated facts in the electronic environment. The pernicious repercussion of this scenario is that the public will be having difficulty in discerning the truth out of this information overload. The situation is further exacerbated by the unnecessary secrecy in the government and the lack of official data on matters of public interest. There is no easy solution to the problem but the right to freedom of information could provide some assistance by facilitating access to government-held information. The importance of such a right in a democratic country has been recognised as integral part of the fundamental right to freedom of speech and expression. Accordingly, freedom of information has been explicitly incorporated alongside with the right to free speech in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). Further, the right to freedom of information has also been recognised by the three regional human rights bodies of Europe, Africa and Inter-American. Unfortunately, not only express provision that confers freedom of information on its citizens is nowhere to be found in the Federal Constitution, their right to access information from official sources is further restrained by the provisions of the Official Secrets Act 1972. Recognising the importance of freedom of information, this paper seeks to examine the possibility of having freedom of information laws in the country. In so doing, the provisions of the Federal Constitution scrutinised. In conclusion, it is submitted that it is now timely for the new government to enact freedom of information laws so as to ensure transparency in governance as well as to enable the people to make informed judgments on any government policies or other matters of public interest.
title Towards a better governance in the new Malaysia: are we ready for freedom of information laws?
title_full Towards a better governance in the new Malaysia: are we ready for freedom of information laws?
title_fullStr Towards a better governance in the new Malaysia: are we ready for freedom of information laws?
title_full_unstemmed Towards a better governance in the new Malaysia: are we ready for freedom of information laws?
title_short Towards a better governance in the new Malaysia: are we ready for freedom of information laws?
title_sort towards a better governance in the new malaysia: are we ready for freedom of information laws?