KUALA LUMPUR: The Ombudsman Malaysia watchdog, which has been talked about for decades, should finally see the light of day this year, says a social activist.
The idea first came up in the 1970s, said Alliance for a Safe Community chairman Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye.
In 2018, the then prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad announced that the Public Complaints Bureau would be known and function as Ombudsman Malaysia.
Dr Mahathir said legislation would be drafted for this purpose.
On Monday, the Legal Affairs Division of the Prime Minister's Department said a law and institutional reforms committee would refine details about the structure and functions of Ombudsman Malaysia, as well as a proposed centralised agency for whistleblower protection.
The proposals would be submitted to the cabinet, and enabling bills would be tabled in the parliamentary session in October.
Lee said the time has come for the government to set up this all-encompassing system to address public grievances against authorities.
The statement by the Legal Affairs Division about gathering feedback from stakeholders, such as government bodies, non-governmental organisations and civil society groups is a step in the right direction, he said.
"I hope the bill can be sorted out and tabled in Parliament this year.
"Having the Public Complaints Bureau alone is insufficient and it's not working out well," he said.