Media council bill: Fahmi confirms second reading at next Dewan sitting

Summary

• Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil confirms the Malaysian Media Council Bill will be tabled for the second reading in the next Parliament session.

• He hopes the council will elevate the media’s status, in addition to exercising self-regulation on certain matters.

The government will table the Malaysian Media Council Bill for the second reading in the next Parliament session, said Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil.

“I hope that we will be able to elevate the status of media in our country, make the media sector an industry that is not only sustainable but also capable of exercising self-regulation on certain matters,” Bernama reported him as saying today.

Fahmi said this to reporters after breakfast with members of Kelantan Media Club.

He added that it was important to ensure that media freedom, as well as journalistic ethics and professionalism, are always prioritised.

Deputy Communications Minister Teo Nie Ching tabled the bill for its first reading on Dec 12 last year.

It is aimed at establishing a self-regulatory body to safeguard the interests of the media and media practitioners.

Among others, Clause 15 of the bill provides for the establishment of a regulatory mechanism concerning complaints of dissatisfaction, which shall be adopted and implemented by the council as determined during general meetings.

While praising the bill, several groups, however, expressed concerns about some other provisions - especially the presence of two minister-appointed government representatives on the media council, arguing it may affect the council’s independence.

Prioritising press welfare

Fahmi assured that his ministry would continue to prioritise the welfare and needs of media practitioners, involving extending donations and necessary assistance to those facing life’s difficulties.

This includes ensuring that all part-time journalists or stringers could also enjoy the benefit of the Bernama-Social Security Organisation (Socso) social protection scheme for self-employed persons.

“Insya-Allah, we will help where appropriate,” he added.

On Aug 15 last year, Bernama and Socso inked a memorandum of understanding to extend protection to part-time media practitioners under the Self-Employment Social Security Scheme.

The agreement is a government initiative to improve social security protection, especially for media practitioners who face various challenges in their line of work.

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