Govt urged to hasten set up of media council, Indonesian model cited
The government has been urged to expedite the setting up of Malaysia’s media council in order to strengthen the media's role in operating independently.
Malaysiakini CEO and co-founder Premesh Chandran made the call during a session entitled, "Non-Judicial Accountability Mechanisms: The Press and Ombudsman’ at the Lawasia: Constitutional and Rule of Law Conference in Petaling Jaya today.
The government has been urged to expedite the setting up of Malaysia’s media council in order to strengthen the media's role in operating independently.
Malaysiakini CEO and co-founder Premesh Chandran made the call during a session entitled, "Non-Judicial Accountability Mechanisms: The Press and Ombudsman’ at the Lawasia: Constitutional and Rule of Law Conference in Petaling Jaya today.
Chandran (above) said that in June this year, various media organisations including Malaysiakini put together a strong submission to the government to set up the media council.
“We hope the government will expedite the matter so we will have our own media council to play a strong role in strengthening the media so we can operate independently and report matters of (public) concern,” he said.
On Sept 12, it was reported that the Communications and Multimedia Ministry was in the process of preparing a cabinet paper on legislation for an independent Malaysian Media Council.
"I hope that I'm able to table it soon to the cabinet," its minister Gobind Singh Deo had said.
During the session's question-and-answer forum today, he explained that there was a two-step process for the proposed abolishment of the Printing Presses and Publications Act 1984 as well the Anti-Fake News Act 2018.
The two-step process was necessary before the government could look at other issues such as the utilisation of social media as a form of attack against others.
“The (Pakatan Harapan) government in its manifesto talked about the removal of the Printing Presses and Publications Act.
“That is what we want to tackle first together with the repeal of the Anti-Fake News Act before we look at other issues.
Chandran echoed the minister's concern on social media.
“It is a big concern that social media is being used as a vector of attack. Perhaps it is a two-step process,” he said.
In regards to the setting up of Malaysia’s media council, Chandran said inspiration could be taken from Indonesia which had set up its own media council much earlier.
The Indonesian media council became independent in 1999, a year after Suharto stepped down as the country’s president after 31 years.
“We look at the Indonesian model as one strong example close to us that we can follow,” said Chandran.
Reporting by Hidir Reduan Abdul Rashid, M Fakhrull Halim & Annabelle Lee.
Are you sure you want to delete this comment?
This action cannot be undone.