Comments on: Hiding behind “secrets” http://www.thenutgraph.com/hiding-between-secrets/ Making Sense of Politics & Pop Culture Mon, 30 Jan 2012 19:50:18 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: victor http://www.thenutgraph.com/hiding-between-secrets/#comment-7843 victor Mon, 22 Jun 2009 07:05:14 +0000 #comment-7843 To follow up my earlier comment, The FOI act should also be supplemented by: 1. The ombud (complaints investigation) system 2. An online Freedom of Information website 3. An agency to handle FOI requests 4. A panel comprising eminent experts who shall preside on cases where FOI requests are denied. To follow up my earlier comment,

The FOI act should also be supplemented by:

1. The ombud (complaints investigation) system
2. An online Freedom of Information website
3. An agency to handle FOI requests
4. A panel comprising eminent experts who shall preside on cases where FOI requests are denied.

]]> By: victor http://www.thenutgraph.com/hiding-between-secrets/#comment-7842 victor Mon, 22 Jun 2009 07:03:11 +0000 #comment-7842 I wholely support the Freedom of Information Act. Too often have we heard that the government promises a project, yet 10 years later there is not a word, and the minister has either retired/resigned/switched party/died. The situations you described above are all features of a large, lumbering bureaucracy. In a bureaucracy, responsibility keeps getting pushed around, no one is accountable, and things take forever to accomplish. I feel that Pakatan Rakyat should stop wasting their time asking in Parliament about the progress of projects, for statistics, and for accountability. All it needs to do is push for a Freedom of Information Act, where the people, journalists, anyone can get the information they require. Gan Pei Ling, I agree completely with you that we need this act to effect changes in the government. Selangor is taking the first step to enact this act, but to be effective, it needs to be implemented on a national level. I only hope that Pakatan Rakyat can put this in the forefront of their agenda. I wholely support the Freedom of Information Act. Too often have we heard that the government promises a project, yet 10 years later there is not a word, and the minister has either retired/resigned/switched party/died.

The situations you described above are all features of a large, lumbering bureaucracy. In a bureaucracy, responsibility keeps getting pushed around, no one is accountable, and things take forever to accomplish.

I feel that Pakatan Rakyat should stop wasting their time asking in Parliament about the progress of projects, for statistics, and for accountability.

All it needs to do is push for a Freedom of Information Act, where the people, journalists, anyone can get the information they require.

Gan Pei Ling, I agree completely with you that we need this act to effect changes in the government. Selangor is taking the first step to enact this act, but to be effective, it needs to be implemented on a national level.

I only hope that Pakatan Rakyat can put this in the forefront of their agenda.

]]> By: Nicholas Aw http://www.thenutgraph.com/hiding-between-secrets/#comment-7841 Nicholas Aw Mon, 22 Jun 2009 06:55:19 +0000 #comment-7841 I absolutely agree with the writer's opinion regarding the government's reluctance in allowing access to information. Obviously, many government officers are not willing to divulge information for fear of the Official Secrets Act. I believe that information (except that which threatens national security) should be made available to the public. Only in this way will there be trust and transparency. Being a journalist, it frustrates the writer in wanting to write about a particular issue when she is not privileged to the necessary information. The only way is making our voices heard through the politicians both in government and opposition so that a motion is tabled in Parliament to introduce a new law - the Freedom of Information Act. I absolutely agree with the writer’s opinion regarding the government’s reluctance in allowing access to information. Obviously, many government officers are not willing to divulge information for fear of the Official Secrets Act.

I believe that information (except that which threatens national security) should be made available to the public. Only in this way will there be trust and transparency. Being a journalist, it frustrates the writer in wanting to write about a particular issue when she is not privileged to the necessary information.

The only way is making our voices heard through the politicians both in government and opposition so that a motion is tabled in Parliament to introduce a new law – the Freedom of Information Act.

]]> By: Gayathry http://www.thenutgraph.com/hiding-between-secrets/#comment-7836 Gayathry Mon, 22 Jun 2009 02:47:23 +0000 #comment-7836 Yes, imagine if the media had such problems, what would ordinary folks have to endure to get information? One the one hand it is important to change our value system (quoting my friend Ong Boon Keong) to one that demands and appreciates openness and not secrecy. On the other, we need to legislate these practices to ensure it becomes difficult for governments to justify their unchecked control of information. And so that these bosses cannot hide behind the excuses of "gone for meeting", "having coffee", "come back in two weeks" ... Yes, imagine if the media had such problems, what would ordinary folks have to endure to get information?

One the one hand it is important to change our value system (quoting my friend Ong Boon Keong) to one that demands and appreciates openness and not secrecy. On the other, we need to legislate these practices to ensure it becomes difficult for governments to justify their unchecked control of information. And so that these bosses cannot hide behind the excuses of “gone for meeting”, “having coffee”, “come back in two weeks” …

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