by Himanshu Bhatt
GEORGE TOWN (May 16, 2010): A coalition of NGOs for good governance has begun a campaign to get the Penang government to set up a legal framework for public access to official government information.
The Coalition for Good Governance Penang made a resolution to get the state government to introduce a ‘Right to Information Bill’.
It is asking for the bill to be prepared for tabling and approval at the state assembly as soon as possible.
The resolution was made at the end of a public forum on ‘Why a Freedom Of Information Act?’ organised by Suara Rakyat Malaysia (Suaram) and Sembang-Sembang Forum at the Caring Society Complex here yesterday.
Suaram is acting as the secretariat for the CGGP.
According to the resolution, the right to information had still not been recognised at many levels of the state government, including the state executive council, municipal councils, state corporations and other bodies.
“Such denial of information has hindered the communities' participation in the democratic decision-making processes that directly affect these communities,” it said.
It pointed that such a bill was necessary to help nurture a democratic process based on principles of good governance that is inclusive, transparent and accountable so as to ensure the proper functioning of an open society.
Latheefa Koya, a councillor with the Petaling Jaya Municipal Council (MPPJ) , who spoke at the forum, said the Selangor government was considering the formation of an independent commission to oversee public access to official information.
She said the move may entail the appointment of “information officers” in various state bodies and municipal councils.
It would also look into the possibility of setting up a time frame of 30 days for relevant agencies to respond to applications for information, and 48 hours for urgent cases.
She, however, said that state and the councils could not control the release of information that are restricted by federal legislations like the Internal Security Act and the Printing Presses and Publications Act.
Tanjung Bungah Residents Association chairman George Aeria spoke of how the association faced obstacles in getting information on controversial hill-slope projects and other contentious issues.
He said for example that the MPPP took three months to hand over to the association a copy of an environmental impact assessment (EIA) report they had requested for a condominium that is being built on a slope.
Penang Island municipal councillor Lim Kah Cheng noted that the Local Government Act 1976 requires all local government meetings to be open to the public, and for ratepayers to have access to minutes of these meetings.-- theSun
GEORGE TOWN (May 16, 2010): A coalition of NGOs for good governance has begun a campaign to get the Penang government to set up a legal framework for public access to official government information.
The Coalition for Good Governance Penang made a resolution to get the state government to introduce a ‘Right to Information Bill’.
It is asking for the bill to be prepared for tabling and approval at the state assembly as soon as possible.
The resolution was made at the end of a public forum on ‘Why a Freedom Of Information Act?’ organised by Suara Rakyat Malaysia (Suaram) and Sembang-Sembang Forum at the Caring Society Complex here yesterday.
Suaram is acting as the secretariat for the CGGP.
According to the resolution, the right to information had still not been recognised at many levels of the state government, including the state executive council, municipal councils, state corporations and other bodies.
“Such denial of information has hindered the communities' participation in the democratic decision-making processes that directly affect these communities,” it said.
It pointed that such a bill was necessary to help nurture a democratic process based on principles of good governance that is inclusive, transparent and accountable so as to ensure the proper functioning of an open society.
Latheefa Koya, a councillor with the Petaling Jaya Municipal Council (MPPJ) , who spoke at the forum, said the Selangor government was considering the formation of an independent commission to oversee public access to official information.
She said the move may entail the appointment of “information officers” in various state bodies and municipal councils.
It would also look into the possibility of setting up a time frame of 30 days for relevant agencies to respond to applications for information, and 48 hours for urgent cases.
She, however, said that state and the councils could not control the release of information that are restricted by federal legislations like the Internal Security Act and the Printing Presses and Publications Act.
Tanjung Bungah Residents Association chairman George Aeria spoke of how the association faced obstacles in getting information on controversial hill-slope projects and other contentious issues.
He said for example that the MPPP took three months to hand over to the association a copy of an environmental impact assessment (EIA) report they had requested for a condominium that is being built on a slope.
Penang Island municipal councillor Lim Kah Cheng noted that the Local Government Act 1976 requires all local government meetings to be open to the public, and for ratepayers to have access to minutes of these meetings.-- theSun
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