Friday 29 Mar 2024
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(Nov 16): The Official Secrets Act (OSA) was never used to protect those who gave bribes, but instead was to protect the government's integrity.

Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Razali Ibrahim denied Datuk Mahfuz Omar's (PAS-Pokok Sena) claims that the legislation was used to protect those who gave bribes.

“I have to deny the allegation raised. There are no charges under OSA on any matter related to that,” he said in reply to Mahfuz during Question Time today.

He stressed OSA was never used to prevent individuals from exposing any graft-related practices or wrongdoings as whistleblowers were protected under the Whistleblower Act 2010.

He said OSA is used to ensure the government's integrity so that it does not affect the structure of the country's administration.

"OSA is used to ensure integrity, whoever is in charge of any official government documents, it should not be shared, if not it will affect the structure of the nation's administration," he said.

He also said since 1972 to 2000, there were eight cases which were charged under OSA but since 2000, no such charges have taken place.

Last year, veteran Umno Gua Musang MP Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah had proposed for the OSA to be reviewed as it has “hidden thousands of sins”.

“Even reporters who discover something about the government cannot expose it. Even if you had a document in your hand, you could be jailed for seven years under the OSA.

“If the issue involved corruption, I think anyone who wants to see the country become clean should be allowed to expose it, “  he had said.

He had said Malaysians should not have to wait for a minister or a court order to declassify documents related to public interest. – The Malaysian Insider

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