Whistleblowers Protection Policy

NIBM is dedicated to maintain the highest standards of ethical, professional and legal conduct in its operations. To reinforce this commitment, NIBM has implemented the Whistleblowers Protection Policy as a secure channel for employees, researchers and other relevant stakeholders to report, in good faith, any misconduct, unethical behaviour or regulatory breaches within NIBM. This Policy also guarantees protection for whistleblowers against any form of retaliation or victimisation for making such disclosures.

“Improper conduct” refers to any action that, if proven, would constitute a disciplinary or criminal offense.

Examples of improper conduct include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Irregularities in financial reporting;
  • Violation of NIBM’s codes of conduct, policies or procedures;
  • Fraud, corruption, bribery, or blackmail;
  • Non-compliance with laws, regulations and guidelines;
  • Actions that jeopardize an individual’s health and safety;
  • Misuse or misappropriation of NIBM’s assets or resources;
  • Theft or embezzlement;
  • Any unlawful act, whether criminal or civil in nature; and
  • Concealment of any of the above misconducts.

REPORTING CHANNELS

Reports or disclosures can be submitted through any of the following official reporting channels:

  • By a formal letter, attention to:

Chairperson of the Board Audit Committee
National Institutes of Biotechnology Malaysia
Ibu Pejabat, Aras 2, Kompleks Institut Agro-Bioteknologi,
Jalan Bioteknologi, 43400 Serdang, Selangor.

CONFIDENTIALITY

All information received will be handled with strict confidentiality, except for disclosures made on a need-to-know basis to support investigations and/or take necessary actions accordingly.

PROTECTION FOR WHISTLE-BLOWER

NIBM is dedicated to safeguard whistleblowers who report concerns, provided that the disclosure is:

  • Based on a reasonable belief that it exposes malpractice or misconduct;
  • Submitted to an appropriate authority or designated employee; and
  • Made in good faith without malicious intent or dishonesty.

While all whistleblowing disclosures will be treated with strict confidentiality, employees, researchers and other relevant stakeholders are encouraged to reveal their identity to enhance the credibility of the report. The following factors will be considered when assessing anonymous disclosures:

  • Severity of the reported issue;
  • Importance and credibility of the concern; and
  • Feasibility of verifying the allegation.

Whistleblowers must submit their reports through the designated reporting channels to ensure their disclosures are protected under this Policy.