Kuala Lampur, June 20 -- Section 11(1)(a) of the Whistleblower Protection Act 2010 (Act 711) says that an enforcement agency (EA) "shall revoke" a whistleblower protection if EA is of the opinion, based on its investigation or in the course of its investigation that the whistleblower himself has participated in the improper conduct disclosed in his report to the EA.

The word "shall" means must; there is no discretion.

Some reformists have called for, among others, that "shall" be substituted with "may" to allow for discretion in the EA to allow whistleblower protection in genuine cases where a whistleblower is remorseful and has repented his participation in the improper conduct.

Be that as it may, the EA "shall give a written notice t...