00:00Crime analysts warned that a proposal for whistleblowers involved in corrupt practices
00:07to be protected by the law could lead to abuse of power.
00:12Shahul Hamid Abdul Rahim said if such a proposal was included in amendments to the Whistleblower
00:18Protection Act, perpetrators could exploit the law to protect themselves against the
00:24authorities.
00:25Criminologist P Sundaramurthy of University Science Malaysia said the government would
00:31risk encouraging people to commit an offence and provide false information in order to
00:37obtain protection.
00:39He said the public would not be comfortable with this sort of provision which could cause
00:44them to have a negative outlook on the country's justice system.
00:49Last week, Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Chief Azam Baki said one of the amendments
00:55the agency was considering was protecting individuals who are compelled to be involved
01:00in a case but still wish to come forward with information.
01:05Azam said, under the existing law, even the slightest involvement in corrupt practices
01:11disqualifies whistleblowers from protection.
01:15Earlier this month, the Centre to Combat Corruption and Cronyism mooted a similar proposal, saying
01:21protecting those who were completely clean was unrealistic.
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