Parliamentary Bill & Acts of Parliament

Minister in the PM's Department, Nazri said he will push for the Witness Protection Bill to be tabled in Parliament as soon as possible.

Nazri was clarifying comments he made on Sunday that whistleblowers were already protected under the Witness Protection Act (WPA).

The fact is clear, there is no such Act of Parliament to protect whistleblowers as the WPA is still in the drafting stage.

Nazri however got an excuse, "What I meant was that there are already other mechanisms in place which provides for police protection.

Let's review his earlier speech reported in The Star & NST.

Nazri: New identity can be arranged for whistleblower

A new identity or even new look can be arranged for the person or persons who took the controversial video of a prominent lawyer allegedly brokering the appointment of judges, said Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Aziz. He said such measures were defined under the Witness Protection Act to ensure the person's identity was protected. “Under the Act, they will not only be protected but can also undergo (plastic) surgery to change their look,” he told reporters after handing out duit raya and goodies to old folks in Lubuk Merbau here yesterday.

Nazri said, “My assurance is that we have an Act to protect them (the witnesses) ...

Was there any doubt that Nazri had factually propounded the existence of the WPA? Nazri had given the assurance that "we have an Act to protect the witnesses...". But, where is the ACT? When did Parliament approved the Bill? When did Agong consented? There was only a draft!!!!

In the first year in law school, everyone reading law will be taught about the legal system and parliamentary process of making law.

We learn that a proposed enactment will have to go through the sittings at Upper and Lower House (Dewan Negara and Dewan Rakyat), voted on and agreed upon by majority, and then sent to the Queen of Parliament for approval before the Bill can become Law, ie, an Act of Parliament. For the case of Malaysia, the Parliamentary Bill then gets the consent of the Yang Di Pertuan Agong.

At the stage that were being debated in Parliament, it is called a Bill. Before it is sent to the Parliament, such as being discuss at the Cabinet, it is in the drafting stage, and it will be called a Draft Bill.

The current status of the "WPA" is a Draft Bill, and you can't call it "Witness Protection Act". At most, it is called "Witness Protection Bill."

Nazri is a "Qualified" Lawyer. He is a "Certified Legal Practitioner". It couldn't be possible for him to make such a mistake, such elementary mistake...

He must have been wrongly reported by TheStar and NST???

Was it or was it not? Or has he forgotten about the basic theory?

Or, is he trying to change the legal and parliamentary system of making law?

I Wonder!