Azalina says the bill will be tabled for a motion tomorrow, allowing for thorough scrutiny with MPs and stakeholders.
KUALA LUMPUR: 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 enable more thorough scrutiny of the Bill 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 added that the Bill is part of the MADANI Government’s institutional reform agenda aimed at boosting transparency, accountability and good governance, while providing the public with lawful and structured access to official information.
Azalina said referring the Bill to the PSC is consistent with the MADANI Government’s approach to major institutional reforms to ensure the legal framework is comprehensive, balanced and trusted by the public.
She 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 create a procedural framework for public access to information held by authorities. Any Malaysian citizen aged 18 and above may submit a written request for official documents.
However, the Bill’s text, published on Parliament’s official portal, states that existing secrecy laws take precedence. Information under the Official Secrets Act 1972, along with other protected documents, remains exempt from disclosure.
