Poor feedback on FOI bill

By admin on December 9th, 2010

GEORGE TOWN (Dec 9, 2010): Only three parties have given their feedback on the Freedom of Information (FOI) bill draft since the state assembly decided on Nov 1 to gather recommendations to fine-tune it before it is tabled at the next assembly session for approval.

Chairman of the Select Committee on the FOI bill Jagdeep Singh described the response as disheartening, given the previous flurry of opinion on the matter.

“This is very poor response, if I might say so, from the public and certain parties,” he told a press conference after the committee’s first meeting at the state secretariat here today.

“I am disheartened because I was told there was a huge debate on the issue in the media, especially the Chinese press,” he said.

“It speaks for itself when only three persons have responded,” said Jagdeep, who is also DAP’s Datuk Keramat assemblyman .

He said the committee has to write to 67 political parties, NGOs and professional bodies on whether they would like to give their feedback.

Those that reply in the affirmative before Dec 24 would be sent copies of the FOI draft. The committee is also looking into posting the draft online.

The public can also give comments by contacting sitiasma@penang.gov.my or ahmadothman@penang.gov.my.

The parties that have responded thus far are Penang Gerakan, the Penang Chinese Newspapers Reporters and Photographers Association and Malaysiakini journalist Low Chia Ming.

Jagdeep said the committee is working to have the report on the bill’s fine-tuning prepared by the next assembly sitting next May. The first feedback session is likely to be held early next month.

The select committee compsrises Datuk Seri Dr Hilmi Yahya (BN-Balik Pulau), A.Tanasekharan (DAP-Bagan Dalam), Ong Chin Wen (PKR-Bukit Tengah), Salleh Man (PAS-Permatang Pasir), Datuk Jahara Hamid (BN-Teluk Air Tawar) and Datuk Arif Shah Omar Shah (BN-Seberang Jaya).

The Sun - Himanshu Bhatt – 09 Dec 2010
http://www.sun2surf.com/article.cfm?id=54939

Rating: 0 (from 0 votes)

Be Sociable, Share!