KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 20 — Confidential witness statements, especially those involving matters related to the public, must be protected from any sorts of leaks prior to the conclusion of the investigation, lawyers have said.

Those polled told Malay Mail that failure to do so has the possibility of tarnishing the public’s perception and confidence over enforcement bodies.

According to Lawyers for Liberty director Eric Paulsen, it is the onus of the investigating authorities to protect the integrity of the process from reaching others outside the circle of the investigation team.

“If they do not, then the public would be reluctant to cooperate as they could then be exposed to danger... the risk of retaliation cannot be taken lightly,” he said, referring to the investigators.

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Paulsen said serious action must be taken against those who leak such information to ensure public confidence on the impartiality and independence of the investigation process.

The civil liberties lawyer also said there is a need to protect confidentiality of investigations as leaks can lead to serious repercussions.

“Witness can be harmed or threatened or evidence can be destroyed,” he said.

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Like Paulsen, lawyer Syahredzan Johan said investigation bodies, regardless if it was the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) or the police, must assume professionalism without any interference or influence from “others in power”.

“When leaks happen, it begs the question why such information somehow found their way to the public domain.

“Is it accidental, negligent or is there a more sinister reason?” he asked.

In such cases, Syahredzan said the source that leaks information in an ongoing investigation must be found and dealt with so that it does not occur again.

Recently, a news portal chief executive lodged a police report claiming that some confidential information of his to the MCMC had been leaked.

Prior to that, a property consultant from Johor similarly claimed his information to the MACC on a graft related matter was leaked.