Malaysia's Freedom of Information Bill to Undergo Parliamentary Review Amid Criticism

Malaysia's Parliament is set to scrutinize the proposed Freedom of Information (FOI) Bill 2026 in a special select committee meeting, with discussions slated to begin on August 4th. Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said will chair the bipartisan committee, tasked with reviewing the bill's terms of reference and scope.

The move comes after various non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and professional groups raised concerns, arguing the current draft falls short of fundamental freedom of information principles and risks perpetuating government secrecy. These groups have urged the government to withdraw the bill, which was presented for its first reading in the Dewan Rakyat on July 14th.

"We hope to complete the committee's meetings to finalize proposals for improvement before the next parliamentary session," Azalina stated after a monthly assembly. She indicated that the committee would specifically address the scope of implementation, acknowledging the NGOs' view that the FOI bill should be more expansive. "If we look at the views submitted by NGOs and some professional groups, they believe the FOI Bill should have a wider scope. So, we will evaluate that matter in tomorrow's meeting," she added.

Civil society organizations, including the Center for Independent Journalism (CIJ), Article 19 Malaysia, and the Center to Combat Corruption and Cronyism (C4 Center), have collectively described the bill as a "betrayal of the people's right to know." While welcoming the effort to introduce federal FOI legislation, they contend the presented version does not represent the promised reform.