Latest news with #WhistleblowerProtectionAct
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
5 Things We Learned from ‘Titan: The OceanGate Disaster'
Stockton Rush, the late CEO of OceanGate who died along with four others when his Titan submersible imploded in June 2023, admired what he called the 'big swingin' dick' energy of fellow businessmen Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos. He was obsessed with the Titanic. He had a habit of firing those who disagreed with his judgment. And he pushed forward with his fatal dive after multiple engineers and other experts warned him that his submersible was doomed to fail. These are some of the details laid out in Titan: The OceanGate Disaster, the new Netflix documentary premiering June 11. Titan covers some of the same material as the Discovery documentary Implosion: The Titanic Sub Disaster, including extensive footage of the 2024 U.S. Coast Guard hearing investigating the tragedy. But it has an ace in the hole: David Lochridge, OceanGate's director of marine operations and a submersible pilot, who was fired after challenging Rush's safety standards and later disclosed critical information under the Whistleblower Protection Act. Together with Wired investigative journalist Mark Harris, who was also a consulting producer on Titan, Lochridge provides a barrage of damning factual heft in the new doc. More from Rolling Stone 'Too Much' Trailer: Lena Dunham Directs Semi-Autobiographical Rom-Com Starring Megan Stalter Lady Gaga Praises Queer Music Pioneer Carl Bean in Docu Clip: 'Anthems Unify People' How the Director and Stars of 'Pavements' Brought Many Stephen Malkmuses to Life Here are five things we learned from Titan: Lochridge was shown the door when he insisted that Titan wasn't ready for its big dive to see the wreckage of the Titanic. So was OceanGate director of engineering Tony Niessen. Titan paints a picture of a CEO who surrounded himself with yes men, many of them inexperienced and unqualified. Bonnie Carl, OceanGate's former finance and human resources director, says in the film that at one point Stockton was ready to make her OceanGate's new lead pilot. Her response in the film: 'Are you nuts? I'm an accountant.' Lochridge details Rush's stubborn arrogance in the film: 'He had every contact in the submersible industry telling him not to do this. But once you start down the path of doing it entirely by yourself, and you realize you've taken a wrong turn back at the beginning, then you have to admit that you were wrong.' Nobody interviewed in Titan suggests that Rush was capable of admitting that he was wrong. Niessen is blunt in assessing his experience at OceanGate: 'I worked for somebody who is probably a borderline clinical psychopath. How do you manage a person like that who owns the company?' Emily Hasmmermeister, an OceanGate engineering assistant who Rush saw as a bright young face of the company, left when she realized Titan's carbon-fiber hull was unstable. 'Stockton was so set on getting to the Titanic that nothing that anybody said made much of a difference,' she says in the film. 'I was not going to bolt anyone inside of that sub. And that was something that a lot of my coworkers at the time agreed on. None of them stayed with the company much longer.' Rush comes across as someone who was quick with a 'fuck you,' so it makes sense that he came from what might be called fuck-you money. 'Both Stockton and his wife, Wendy, came from generational wealth,' Harris, the Wired reporter, says in the film. Stockton was a Princeton graduate, even if he didn't have great grades. He traced his ancestry back to two signers of the Declaration of Independence, Richard Stockton and Benjamin Rush. In an ironic twist, Wendy Rush was the great-great granddaughter of two people who died on the Titanic: Isidor and Ida Strauss. Isidor was a co-owner of the Macy's department store. 'Stockton was definitely part of the one percent,' Harris says in the film. If you took a drink every time someone in Titan mentions carbon fiber you'd have a hard time driving home. The material is cheaper than, say, titanium or steel, and it's also less expensive to transport. These factors made it an appealing option for Rush as he built the Titan. The engineers interviewed in the doc also claim it can be highly unstable. A carbon-fiber hull had never been used for as deep a dive as Rush was attempting. In the film, Rob McCallum, who has led many expeditions to the Titanic wreckage as the co-founder of Eyos Expeditions and worked as a consultant for OceanGate, describes carbon fiber as 'essentially string made from carbon. It's coated with resin to hold it together.' He sums up the Titan structure thusly: 'There was no way of knowing when it was going to fail. But it was a mathematical certainty that it would fail.' According to the documentary, Rush refused to have the Titan 'classed,' or certified by a third party to meet industry standards. Lochridge claims that shortly after he insisted on a third-party inspection, and then wrote in a 2018 report that Titan wasn't ready for the 3,800-meter dive to the Titanic wreckage, he was fired. McCallum points out another key Rush workaround: He insisted on classifying his passengers as 'mission specialists.' This categorization was intended to provide legal protection in case something went wrong. 'It was just one of the steps that OceanGate took to make sure that they could work around U.S. legislation,' McCallum says in the film. Rush called them 'Titaniacs.' They're the people who can't get enough of anything related to the Titanic. A few were willing to fork over more than $100,000 for a seat on the Titan. In the film, Rush claims 'there are three words in the English language that are known throughout the planet: Coca-Cola, God, and Titanic.' James Cameron's 1997 blockbuster Titanic surely has something to do with this; it grossed more than $2 billion worldwide, and prompted any number of moviegoers to proclaim themselves king (or queen) of the world. But it's not just the movie that brings people back to RMS Titanic, the British ocean liner which famously sank in 1912, killing approximately 1,500 people. The disaster was due largely to the kind of structural failure that would doom the Titan, a point Titan doesn't fail to make. 'Even now, over 100 years after she sank, she just captures people,' McCallum says in the doc. Something about the combination of massive catastrophe and the dividing lines between social classes aboard the liner — First Class, Second Class, and Steerage, with survival rates declining according to economic position — has proved enthralling. Well before Titanic there was The Unsinkable Molly Brown, a 1960 stage musical (and then a 1964 movie starring Debbie Reynolds) based on the life of Titanic survivor-turned-philanthropist Margaret Brown. Rush was hardly the first gung-ho Titanic enthusiast, though he may have been the most catastrophically arrogant. Best of Rolling Stone Every Super Bowl Halftime Show, Ranked From Worst to Best The United States of Weed Gaming Levels Up
The Sun
11-06-2025
- Business
- The Sun
MACC, TI-M support efforts to improve Whistleblower Protection Act
KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) and Transparency International Malaysia (TI-M) have expressed full support for the government's ongoing efforts to improve the Whistleblower Protection Act. The MACC said the joint support was conveyed when the executive committee of TI-M, led by its president Raymon Ram, paid a courtesy call on MACC Chief Commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki at the commission's headquarters in Putrajaya today. It said the enhancement of the Act is currently being undertaken by the Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reform), Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said, through the Legal Affairs Division of the Prime Minister's Department (BHEUU). During the meeting, Azam reaffirmed the commission's commitment to ensuring that the identities of whistleblowers and the information provided by them are kept confidential and not disclosed, once the whistleblower meets the conditions stipulated under the Whistleblower Protection Act 2010. 'Meanwhile, Raymon said TI-M had submitted proposals to BHEUU to review several sections of the Act that contradict other laws, which could result in the loss of protection for whistleblowers,' it said in a statement. Both parties also discussed mutual concerns, including political funding, the strengthening of the Integrity Pact in Malaysia, the implementation of the Anti-Bribery Management System (ABMS) MS ISO 37001 accreditation, and beneficial ownership declaration. 'All tenderers and companies participating in government procurement, based on the guidelines of the Companies Commission of Malaysia, are seen as capable of preventing corruption and fraud in procurement processes involving government suppliers,' the statement said.
The Sun
11-06-2025
- Business
- The Sun
MACC, TI-M back improvements to whistleblower law
KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) and Transparency International Malaysia (TI-M) have expressed full support for the government's ongoing efforts to improve the Whistleblower Protection Act. The MACC said the joint support was conveyed when the executive committee of TI-M, led by its president Raymon Ram, paid a courtesy call on MACC Chief Commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki at the commission's headquarters in Putrajaya today. It said the enhancement of the Act is currently being undertaken by the Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reform), Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said, through the Legal Affairs Division of the Prime Minister's Department (BHEUU). During the meeting, Azam reaffirmed the commission's commitment to ensuring that the identities of whistleblowers and the information provided by them are kept confidential and not disclosed, once the whistleblower meets the conditions stipulated under the Whistleblower Protection Act 2010. 'Meanwhile, Raymon said TI-M had submitted proposals to BHEUU to review several sections of the Act that contradict other laws, which could result in the loss of protection for whistleblowers,' it said in a statement. Both parties also discussed mutual concerns, including political funding, the strengthening of the Integrity Pact in Malaysia, the implementation of the Anti-Bribery Management System (ABMS) MS ISO 37001 accreditation, and beneficial ownership declaration. 'All tenderers and companies participating in government procurement, based on the guidelines of the Companies Commission of Malaysia, are seen as capable of preventing corruption and fraud in procurement processes involving government suppliers,' the statement said.
Daily Express
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Daily Express
Innocent taxpayers biggest losers in graft
Published on: Thursday, May 22, 2025 Published on: Thu, May 22, 2025 By: David Thien Text Size: (From left) Adi, Michael, Hanafiah and Haffisz. Kota Kinabalu: It is ordinary citizens who end up paying the price for corruption and in the case of the 1MDB which cost the taxpayer RM42b, the impact will last for generations to come. Senior Chartered Accountant Partner at Crowe Horwath, Michael Tong, said 1MDB was also a world record-breaker in public looting. He was speaking at the recent NGO Sabar – Kopitiam Council 'Sabah Voices to Action' Episode 8 podcast recently on Good Governance, Public Fund Leakages & Mismanagement with Permanent Secretary of Sabah Ministry Science, Technology and Innovation, Datuk Mohd Hanafiah Mohd Kassim. The rot starts at the top and the consequences are still felt today. 'Closer to home, our Water Dept scandal uncovered in 2016 revealed senior government officials embezzled over RM60 million which was meant for the rural water supply projects. 'Deep entrenched cartel system collected and distributed to as high as the ministerial level,' he said. Both Michael and Mohd Hanafiah agreed there is a need to check graft that could undermine the progress of the state and steal the future of generations of Sabahans by a corrupt minority in positions to do so.' Advertisement 'The culture of complacency and apathy on graft must go, to be replaced by a culture of accountability and transparency.' People need to be guided, convinced, and educated about the consequences of corruption, and be able to express outrage in disapproval of it and not be apathetic, as Hanafiah puts it: 'Tidak payah lah, ini bukan saya punya hal.' Michael called for the Whistleblower Protection Act to be improved to curb corruption. The Whistleblower Protection Act 2010 was enacted to encourage and facilitate disclosure of improper conduct in both the public and private sectors. Under the Act, the range of protection goes as far as protection of confidential information; immunity from civil and criminal action; and protection from detrimental action. Michael noted that in a recent case the whistleblower became his own victim. He said it is important to forge political will to achieve efficiency and curb wastage by GLCs. Hanafiah said competency is crucial to check graft, with the proper governance and SOPs. It is an ongoing struggle as good and experienced personnel can be retired as time goes. 'All religions teach morality and between right and wrong,' Michael said, 'The shame culture is not there for people who engage in corruption. 'They don't have that dignity and honour to uphold the good name or legacy of their family. The culture of honouring and the culture of being shameful of wrongful conduct is lacking,' Michael noted. AG's report too late Hanafiah noted that at one point in time, the salaries of federal civil servants had not been reviewed for more than a decade. Sabah has one of the highest poverty rates in the country. He once asked the authorities on the people convicted of corruption – only 40 per cent prosecuted were the 'buayas' or big crocodiles, most were the 'kacangs' or (peanuts) or low level offenders. Michael noted that corruption is a long-standing issue due poor governance, lack of transparency, systemic corruption that is practiced and acceptable, and inefficiencies in public administration, insufficient check and balance institutions, poor integrity and moral values. He also said the It was reported reports by the Auditor-Generals came very late. This has not enabled the government to take action against corruption. 'The belated yearly National Audit Dept reports are on government projects at inflated costs like schools, hospitals and public infrastructure. 'Still the worst projects suffered from delays and substandard quality. Sabah's uncompleted Pan Borneo, quite unlike Sarawak's completion rate, is a clear comparison on the efficiency of the Pan Borneo Road project between the two States.' Placing experts in GLCs lauded Michael lauds the state government's recent placement of professionals into the management of some GLCs, noting these professionals would not risk their good reputation in tolerating graft, mismanagement and nepotism abuse which are detrimental to the operational health of these agencies. 'As most of these entities which are not managed by technocrats and professionals but political appointees, business is seldom practised as the corporate objective is to make profit. In some cases resulting in competing unfairly with private entrepreneurs.' He cited the example of MAS requiring multiple restructuring and bailouts with taxpayers' monies due to mismanagement. Michael recalled that in Sabah many industries set up by the Berjaya administration suffered losses and eventually sold off. 'Sabah, despite being resources rich, is one of the poorest states and one wonders how effective are these poverty alleviation programmes where there is criticism for inefficiencies and leakages and where the funds were alleged to have not reached the intended beneficiaries. 'One also needs to question whether the root cause of poverty has been properly addressed, or we are just treating the short-term symptoms especially without really understanding the cause such as the migration of Sabahans to work in West Malaysia because of better employment opportunities.' He noted that the need for a political war chest fund to win elections also contributes to cases of corruption. 'Sabah Voices to Action - Shaping Sabah's Future Together' is a citizen-driven, non-partisan initiative running from March to June 2025, dedicated to amplifying Sabahans' voices, fostering meaningful discussions, and shaping policies on education, healthcare, public infrastructure, and good governance. * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia
The Mainichi
20-05-2025
- Politics
- The Mainichi
Editorial: Hyogo Pref.'s criminal complaint impedes media reporting in public interest
In the latest development in Gov. Motohiko Saito's alleged power harassment and other acts, the Hyogo Prefectural Government filed a criminal complaint with the prefectural police accusing an unspecified person of leaking information in violation of confidentiality obligations under the Local Public Service Act. What cannot be overlooked is that the act of providing information to the Shukan Bunshun weekly magazine was included in the subjects of the criminal complaint. The move could undermine media outlets' ability to check governments through reports based on whistleblowing. The Hyogo governor's alleged power abuse and other problems came to light through an anonymous document that was created by a former chief of the prefectural government's Nishiharima District Administration Office. Based on the prefectural government's audio recordings and documents, Shukan Bunshun reported in 2024 that then vice governor had grilled the former district chief, alleging that he was the whistleblower behind the anonymous missive. Searching for a whistleblower contravenes the Whistleblower Protection Act. Shukan Bunshun's reporting was of high public interest in providing society with a glimpse into improprieties of the prefectural government's conduct. This fact was brought to light because of the individual who, even at risk, supplied insider information. Protecting the confidentiality of the sources of information is a crucial principle of the press. The prefectural government's action is unacceptable as it attempted to identify and punish the informant who should be protected. The prefecture filed the criminal accusation in response to a report by a third-party committee that investigated the information leak. Their investigation was sparked by an incident in which Takashi Tachibana, head of the political group NHK Party, and others spread online private information of unknown authenticity that was left on the former bureau chief's work computer. The information had nothing to do with the whistleblowing and was degrading of the former bureau chief, who died in 2024. Regardless, the prefectural government added Shukan Bunshun's digital edition reporting to the targets of investigation by lumping it together as "online information." The implementation outline of the inquiry, including its purpose and targets, had initially been withheld, and the details were only made public on March 31 when the report was released. That's when the inclusion of the Shukan Bunshun coverage as a subject of the investigation was first disclosed. The prefectural government's decision to treat the exposure of privacy the same as information provision that serves the public interest is beyond comprehension. It was the governor himself who decided to set up the third-party panel. While he explained that the selection of investigation targets was at the discretion of the human affairs division, he cannot evade his responsibility as the head of the prefectural administration. The prefecture is urged to withdraw the criminal complaint that could silence its conscientious employees.
