Believe it or not, if you are a researcher and you would want to get some data or statistic from government, it is not that easy or might be the data you are looking for is classified under OSA.
This is what happening at the moment and that is why sometimes we could hear that a figure coming from a minister is sometimes different from what NGO revealed. Let us take an example of the number of drugs addict in Malaysia and its distribution based on gender or races. Anybody could give the right figures? Well, I don’t think so as some of its data is kept under OSA as to some it is a delicate issue or sensitive to be exposed to the public.
Or let us take a look into some technical data like power consumption in Malaysia. Anybody knows how much is our power consumption and its distribution based on area or usage? We could calculate the total power sources available or could be generated by power plant but we do not know the total demand by the consumer. This is due to some data/statistic is considered sensitive and could not be revealed to the public by some reasons.
This is a big dilemma to NGO and some researchers whom are working so hard to carry out some studies to provide solutions to our nation problems. If they could not get a correct data or statistic from a genuine source, which is National Statistic Department, then the correct solution could not be retrieved as some solutions are directly proportion to the data available and any ‘mis-figure’ might have some impact in terms of cost.
It is agreeable that some data should be kept in secret or the government has the sole power to classify the statistic under OSA in due to national security. However, the restriction should not be imposed towards research or study done by any party which is already approved by the government. If a study is conducted with the approval by government then they should have all the access to all statistic/data available from any sources including NSD. The government still could restrict the circulation of the study report once completed but the ‘freedom of data’ of that study/research should be guaranteed by the government.
Without a reliable data there is nothing Dato Idris Jala could do in NKRA to propose the best solution to the government. Based on reliable data also he could made the remark that Malaysia would go for bankruptcy in future if the trend of subsidies figure is not decreasing or if the public choose to do nothing in terms of life style. He is so confident with the remark because the conclusion is based on some reliable data he has but on political point of view, the remark is, of course, not good for the nation and might have some impact in terms of popularity or support from the public during election.
It is good to have a place where the public could access to any data or statistic that they want to see for any reason and at any time. It is time for the government to educate the public of any ‘sensitive’ data so that we could only know nothing except for the truth even if the truth is so ‘biteful’ to us.
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