Some 38 years ago, on October 16, 1979, I moved a motion on behalf of DAP in Parliament to introduce a private member’s bill intituled “Freedom of Information Act” to ensure openness of government and to prevent the law on government information from protecting inefficiency, maladministration or even malpractices and corruption.

I moved the motion in the conviction that if Malaysia was to have a meaningful parliamentary democracy, we must create a more open government, which respects and upholds the fundamental right to know of the citizens in all matters affecting the country and the people.

I made it clear that the DAP accepted that there were some legitimate secrets which needs to be protected by criminal penalties, e.g. matters involving national security, defence, maintenance of law and order, personal information, etc.

My answer therefore to the subject of the forum tonight is quite obvious. Read the rest of this entry »