Malaysian whistle-blowers need stronger legal protections, a watchdog said on Friday, following a controversy in which a businessman who exposed alleged corruption in Sabah state was publicly admonished by the country’s anti-graft body for going public with his claims.
Albert Tei, a businessman based in Sabah, covertly filmed videos that allegedly show senior state politicians soliciting and accepting bribes.
The footage soon went viral, prompting denials from the politicians involved, who accused Tei of releasing the videos as an act of retaliation for not receiving certain government contracts.
Our laws must protect – not punish – those who take steps to correct wrongdoing
But on Thursday, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) announced that Tei did not qualify for legal protection under the Whistleblower Protection Act because he went public with his allegations before formally filing a complaint with the agency.