Is Rafizi a hero?
“The WPA says that whistleblowers can provide evidence if it is legally available through the course of their work. The catch phrase here is ‘legally available through the course of their work.’ That does not cover data theft.”
Mikha Chan, Free Malaysia Today
Should Rafizi Ramli be defended as a whistleblower and champion of transparency? So far, public opinion seems to support the Opposition’s contention that he should be.
Rafizi certainly carries himself like a whistleblower and a champion, saying he is willing to be punished under the Official Secrets Act (OSA) for campaigning against 1MDB.
The government thinks differently, however.
On Friday, Rafizi was charged in the Sessions Court under the OSA for possessing and publicising part of the Attorney-General’s report to the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) regarding 1MDB.
The latest episode in the 1MDB narrative began last week, when the PKR Secretary-General first divulged details from the document at a press conference. According to him, the document showed that 1MDB owed the Armed Forces Fund Board (LTAT) RM396.41 million. This debt, he said, had directly affected LTAT’s cash flow, resulting in the delay of gratuity payments to non-pensionable veteran soldiers.
1MDB reacted by demanding that Parliament and other authorities investigate Rafizi for violating the OSA. It accused him of “deliberately concocting” lies and dismissed his claim that he was acting in the public interest.
“Rafizi cannot claim he is a whistleblower or is acting in the public interest,” said a statement from 1MDB. “The Public Accounts Committee, a lawful authority with five Opposition members, already has access to and is presently reviewing the Auditor-General’s Report on 1MDB.”
