KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 5 — Two Parliamentary Special Select Committees have been given three months to conduct a comprehensive review of the Freedom of Information (FOI) Bill 2026 and the Admiralty Jurisdiction Bill 2026 before submitting recommendations to Parliament.
The review reflects the Madani Government’s commitment to advancing legal reforms through a transparent and inclusive parliamentary process, said Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform), Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said.
She said the committees would examine various aspects and the scope of the proposed legislation through a series of meetings beginning yesterday.
“As part of the process, the committees will engage with a wide range of stakeholders, including ministries, government agencies, legal experts, academics, professional bodies, industry players, the Bar Council, as well as representatives from non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and civil society organisations (CSOs),” she said in a statement yesterday.
Azalina said she had chaired the inaugural meetings of both select committees today following the Dewan Rakyat’s approval during its July sitting to refer the two Bills for further scrutiny.
She said the Freedom of Information Bill 2026 was aimed at strengthening the public’s right of access to information through a balanced, transparent and accountable legal framework.
The Admiralty Jurisdiction Bill 2026, meanwhile, was drafted to modernise Malaysia’s maritime legal framework in line with international best practices and enhance the country’s competitiveness as a global maritime hub.
Azalina said the committees’ final reports and recommendations were expected to be tabled in Parliament at its next sitting. — Bernama
