State govt has no qualms about reviewing requirement for signing of SD before handing documents to FOI

GEORGE TOWN: The Penang government has no qualms about reviewing the requirement for signed statutory declarations (SD) before the documents can be handed to Freedom of Information (FOI) applicants.

Deputy Chief Minister II P. Ramasamy (pix) said the need for a signed SD was because the state did not want declassified information to be abused or used for commercial purposes.

He said the SD was not a blanket declaration but only applied to declassified documents released to applicants.

Ramasamy said the Exco frequently discussed the implementation of the FOI Enactment 2010, adding that it was a learning process but noted that implementation cannot contravene existing laws.

"We can review, it is not as if it is immutable," he said in a press conference after attending the debate on the motion of thanks at the Penang legislature today.

The issue cropped up when Penang Gerakan Youth acting chief Jason Loo held a one-man demonstration against the need for the SD outside the state legislature building earlier.

He said the need to sign a SD was against the spirit and principle of freedom of information and urged elected representatives and NGOs to pressure the state to drop the requirement.

"I hope our elected representatives can raise the matter in the House," he said.