A Select Committee was set up by the Penang State Government to look into matters pertaining to the Freedom of Information (FOI) Bill comprising of 6 members including three from UMNO. However, the State’s effort in mediating middle ground to get public feedback was thwarted as all three members from UMNO failed to attend the two full-day meetings with the various organizations from all around Penang; citing reasons like having other meetings and falling sick. The meetings were slated for 14th and 21st of February. The Penang FOI Bill was copied en bloc from the current Selangor FOI Bill. According to Penang Chief Minister, Lim Guan Eng, this was because the State Legal Advisor had initially opposed the proposal of an FOI Bill claiming that it was unconstitutional. Regardless, Penang followed suit soon after the Selangor FOI was passed and tabled the bill for first reading at the State Assembly. Lim said that the State Legal Advisor had claimed that information is a federal jur...
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