PUTRAJAYA, June 8 — There is no need to block access to the Internet among civil servants with the aim of preventing leaking of government information, says Chief Secretary to the Government, Tan Sri Dr Ali Hamsa.

Following the announcement by the Singapore government to stop Internet access in government offices from next year, he said leaking of government information was not a major issue in Malaysia.

In fact, he said, blocking usage of the Internet could not completely stop information leakage.

“Even without Internet access, one can still use other means of communication,” he said when met at a breaking-of-fast function with orphans of Rumah Nur Kasih Bestari in Kuala Lumpur, here, today. 

While admitting that there were cases of government data and information leak, Ali said the government had its procedure to act against errant officers who disseminated government secrets. 

“There had been specific cases such as spreading secret information via WhatsApp and the officers concerned were called to face disciplinary action,” he said. — Bernama