KUALA LUMPUR: The tabling of the Freedom of Information (FOI) Bill and the Ombudsman Malaysia Bill has been deferred to next year.
Legal Affairs Department in the Prime Minister’s Department director-general Datuk Zamri Misman said both bills are expected to be tabled in Parliament by June 2026, or at the latest, during the Oct 2026 sitting.
“On Oct 17, the Cabinet decided that both the Ombudsman Malaysia Bill and FOI Bill which were originally designed to complement each other be deferred to early 2026 to allow further refinement and additional engagement.
“The deferment also allowed the Attorney-General Chambers sufficient time to review both Bills thoroughly, again ensuring strong alignment, legal consistency and support across all levels of government,” he said in his speech at the Roundtable on Freedom of Information in Malaysia: Strengthening the Legal Framework, Advancing Openness.
The event was jointly organised by the Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ) and the Legal Affairs Division of the Prime Minister’s Department.
Also present were Parliamentary Special Select Committee (PSSC) on Human Rights, Election and Institutional Reform chairman William Leong and CIJ executive director Wathshlah Naidu.
Zamri added that Malaysia’s FOI journey must go beyond legislation and be supported by capacity-building efforts, awareness programmes and a mindset shift within the civil service towards openness.
Meanwhile, Leong said in his speech that embedding the FOI within the federal framework was not only about enacting a law but also about transforming governance and culture towards greater openness, inclusiveness and responsibility.
He said the PSSC and members of Parliament will continue to ensure that when the FOI is tabled, it would take into account the experiences of previous legislation, state-level enactments and areas where further improvements can be made.
He said this was to ensure the application of robust standards that promote maximum disclosure and a limited scope of exemptions.
Leong said it was also important to harmonise the two Bills with existing laws such as the Whistleblowers Act.
“Then after it’s been done (passed), there will be a series of Acts that would have to be amended to be aligned with the requirements.
“Otherwise you would have a conflict between laws and so we want to ensure that the FOI is the overall effective umbrella with regard to disclosures,” he said.
Leong also assured that the PSSC would monitor the implementation of the Act after it is passed.
He added that there were also institutional aspects, where the Act would establish oversight bodies, and most importantly, ensure their independence.
“This is an ongoing exercise. There are many models that we have chosen from the Legal Affairs Division that have been engaging and looking at various models to look for the best but it’s never cut and paste,” he said.
At a later press conference, Leong said they would encourage state assemblies to enact their own FOI laws.
“It all depends on the state. The states are not under the same coalition so they will have their own interests and ideas,” he said.
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