The Registrar of Societies today warned the public not to be "hoodwinked" by media freedom advocacy group Gerakan Media Marah (Geramm), as the group is not registered with ROS.

The group, a loose coalition of media practitioners, has been vocal on media issues including the arrest of The Edge and The Malaysian Insider journalists last month for sedition.

"ROS urges society not to be influenced or hoodwinked by the groups who have raised dissatisfaction over curbs on both electronic and print media," ROS deputy director Yahaya Mohamad said in a rare statement.

Associations must be registered with ROS to operate legally, according to Section 6 of the Societies Act 1966, he said.

"We strongly stress that this group is not registered with ROS," he said.

He said associations which do not adhere can be fined no more than RM5,000 for the first offence, and no more than RM500 for every day of non-compliance after that.

Geramm laughs it off

ROS' warning, which comes days before World Press Freedom Day on May 3, was met with "laughter" by the media group.

"Geramm since its inception has always maintained and introduced ourselves as a loose coalition of media practitioners and activists who uphold media freedom.

"We would also like to stress that the fight to uphold media freedom is not something that should be viewed as detrimental or dangerous as it will benefit all parties in a healthy democracy," it said in a statement.

Geramm has among others held a demonstration demanding media freedom and petitioned the Prime Minister's Office to repeal of the Sedition Act and the arrest of Malaysiakini journalist Susan Loone under the Act.