CPJ urges Malaysia to strengthen FOI bill to advance press freedom, democracy

Jakarta, September 24, 2026—The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on the Malaysian government to substantially amend a freedom of information (FOI) bill to bring it in line with international standards and strengthen press freedom.

A draft of the legislation was introduced for its first reading in the lower house of Malaysia’s parliament on July 13 and was subsequently referred to a parliamentary special select committee for review after drawing public criticism. The committee will hold a national town hall on September 28 to gather public and stakeholder feedback on the draft.

“Malaysia has a chance to show the world it is serious about press freedom and democracy,” said CPJ Asia-Pacific Director Beh Lih Yi. “We welcome the government’s efforts to introduce an FOI bill, but its current form falls short of international standards. A strong and robust FOI law is in Malaysia’s interest — it would send a clear signal to investors that the government is committed to transparency and openness, which are good for business.”

The bill includes provisions that could fine or jail applicants accused of using information obtained through the FOI mechanism for purposes different from those initially stated in their request, according to a CPJ review of the draft. Such restrictions could put the journalists at serious risk when the documents reveal new facts that warrant further critical reporting.

An analysis of the bill by rights groups Article 19, The Centre for Independent Journalism, and the Center to Combat Corruption and Cronyism (C4 Center) shows that it could reinforce secrecy rather than establishing a right of access and presumption of maximum disclosure. The FOI draft bill also has excessively broad exemptions without essential safeguards, overly restrictive access procedures, and a lack of effective oversight mechanisms, they say.

According to the Centre for Law and Democracy, the bill’s provisions are “very weak” and, if enacted in its current form, it would place Malaysia 137th out of 142 countries with right-to-information laws.

CPJ urges the Malaysian government to:

• Protect disclosures made in the public interest, including those by journalists, from criminal or civil liability or other forms of legal retaliation.
• Protect and facilitate the right to information, a prerequisite for the media to serve as a public watchdog and to investigate issues such as corruption and abuse of power. An FOI law enables the journalists to seek, verify, and publish information in the public interest. 
• Establish an independent oversight body to ensure that the right to information is effectively implemented and enforced.
• Ensure meaningful civil society participation by incorporating public input so that the FOI framework meets international standards.

CPJ’s emailed request for comment to the offices of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and Law Minister Azalina Othman Said did not receive an immediate reply. In response to CPJ’s question about criticism of the bill, Nurul Fadhilah Ibrahim, an official at the Malaysian parliament, said in an email that the parliamentary select committee is engaging with stakeholders and a national town hall to gather feedback.