KUALA LUMPUR, July 13 — The government will table a motion tomorrow to refer the Freedom of Information Bill 2026 to a Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC), Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said announced today.
She said the move would allow the Bill to undergo more thorough scrutiny through engagement with MPs and stakeholders.
“The government has taken note of the various views from civil society organisations and stakeholders on several aspects of the Bill.
“These views reflect our shared commitment to ensuring the legislation meets reform goals and follows best practices,” she said in a statement.
Azalina said the Bill is part of the Madani Government’s institutional reform agenda aimed at strengthening transparency, accountability and good governance, while giving the public lawful and structured access to official information.
She said referring the Bill to the PSC was in line with the Madani Government’s approach to major institutional reforms to ensure the legal framework is comprehensive, balanced and trusted by the public.
Azalina had earlier tabled the Bill for its first reading in the Dewan Rakyat and confirmed that the second reading would take place during the current sitting.
The Freedom of Information Bill 2026 seeks to establish a procedural framework for public access to information held by authorities, allowing any Malaysian citizen aged 18 and above to submit a written request for official documents.
However, the Bill’s text published on Parliament’s official portal states that existing secrecy laws will take precedence, with information protected under the Official Secrets Act 1972 and other exempted documents remaining undisclosed. — Bernama
