OVERALL, Pakatan Rakyat (PR) Members of Parliament (MPs) who were voted in in 2008 demonstrated much stronger support for the establishment of a Freedom of Information (FOI) Act compared with Barisan Nasional (BN) MPs.

PR MPs, who were approached for The Nut Graphs MP Watch project, also showed better understanding of what a FOI Act is about. Fewer PR MPs confused freedom of information with freedom of speech and media freedom compared with BN MPs.

BN: Umno

Umno MPs appeared divided on the issue of freedom of information. Out of the 24 MPs who responded to the question, Would you support a Freedom of Information Act? Why or why not?, eight were very supportive of enacting a FOI Act. Three flatly refused the idea, while the rest either did not state their stand on the issue clearly, or confused freedom of information with freedom of speech. Two MPs refused to comment.

Those who supported a FOI Act generally believed that the rakyat has the right to information, and that freedom of information would ensure greater government transparency and accountability.

Datuk Seri Azmi Khalid (Padang Besar) said the Official Secrets Act (OSA) should be abolished to allow for more transparency. Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin (Rembau) said having a FOI Act would increase government transparency and accountability as well as reduce corruption across the board. But he cautioned that private information and information that would jeopardise national security or criminal investigations should remain confidential.

In stark contrast, MPs like Datuk Hasan Malek (Kuala Pilah) and Datuk Abu Bakar Taib (Langkawi) said there was no need for a FOI Act because existing laws such as the OSA were sufficient to regulate the flow of information.

At least four Umno MPs, including Datuk Bung Moktar Radin (Kinabatangan) and Datuk Ronald Kiandee (Beluran), confused the concept of freedom of information with freedom of speech.

Additionally, seven other Umno MPs were ambiguous on the issue. Datuk Ismail Kasim (Arau), for example, opined that the Malaysian public was not yet mature enough to handle certain information. Datuk Razali Ibrahim (Muar) cautioned that a FOI Act may be abused by certain quarters with ill intentions.

BN: MCA, MIC and other component parties

See the rest here:

MPs and Freedom of Information