Penang’s FOI joke
Anil Netto
All kinds of hurdles are placed in the way of releasing information under the Freedom of Information Enactment in Penang.
First, you have to apply. Fair enough.
Then you have to pay a fee. Not a small one either.
Then’s there’s a declaration form:
– the documents obtained under the FOI Enactment cannot be reproduced. (Say what?)
– the documents cannot be used in press conferences. “(This) is an offence as well.” (Huh?)
– the documents are only for the applicant’s own consumption.
If the documents are not meant for public consumption, what is the point of the FOI Enactment? The whole reason for FOI legislation is to allow access to information to protect the public interest. This access to info and contracts etc is especially crucial given the controversial mega projects in the pipeline in Penang.
But here, we are told that the documents obtained are only for private consumption. What a joke!
Wait, the joke’s not over. Here is the punch-line:
