KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 14 — The government should institute measures specifically to protect public workers who expose wrongdoings in the administration, said former chief justice Tun Zaki Azmi.
He said while it was already civil servants’ duty to report such abuses, such measures would encourage them to do so with the assurance they would be shielded from reprisals if they inform on the abusers.
“Therefore this new ‘policy’ should ensure that the whistleblower shall not suffer from any backlashes that would jeopardise his or her work,” he said at INTAN Bukit Kiara here today.
Exceptions can be made if the reported information is false, he added.
In the lecture titled “Separation of Power: Neutrality of Public Service”, Zaki also pointed out that it is not inherently wrong for civil servants to use their positions as a leverage to help others, provided there is no expectation of reward.
He recalled his experience helping a student obtain a scholarship with the assistance of former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, among others.
Zaki stressed that it is important for civil servants to maintain neutrality and not let their personal political affiliations affect their responsibilities.
“Now, whether you like it or not, you have to swing and move your loyalty to the new government and do your job, which is to implement the policies of the new government.
“This doesn’t mean that you are pledging allegiance to the ruling party. During general elections, you can vote for whoever you want but as soon as a party runs the government, you must follow their policies. If you don’t want to, you can resign,” he said.
