Media Council Act in force today, Fahmi hails milestone in reform

The Malaysian Media Council (MMC) Act comes into effect today, Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil said.

Fahmi said he signed the gazette to enforce the Act, marking a significant milestone in reform for media practitioners.

“The Malaysian Media Council Act takes effect on June 14, 2025, coinciding with the National Journalists’ Day (Hawana) (celebration).

“We symbolically chose to gazette and enforce the Malaysian Media Council Act in conjunction with Hawana 2025,” he told a press conference following the Hawana 2025 highlight at the Kuala Lumpur World Trade Centre today.

Themed “Journalism in the New Era: Embracing AI, Safeguarding Ethics”, the event, attended by some 1,000 media practitioners from within and outside the country, was officiated by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.

Present were Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Federal Territories) Dr Zaliha Mustafa and Deputy Communications Minister Teo Nie Ching.

Also present were Communications Ministry secretary-general Fauzi Isa, Bernama chairperson Wong Chun Wai, Bernama chief executive officer Nur-ul Afida Kamaludin, Bernama editor-in-chief Arul Rajoo Durar Raj, who is also Hawana 2025 project director, and the top management of local media companies.

Fahmi said he would hold a meeting with the 12 members of the MMC’s founding board soon to facilitate the council’s development process.

“I hope the MMC will serve as a meaningful platform and continue to operate regardless of who forms the government in the future,” he said.

Earlier in his speech, Fahmi said the MMC founding board comprises 12 members, with four representatives from each category: media companies, media associations, media practitioners and independent media practitioners, as well as non-media members.

The Hawana 2025 celebration is organised by the Communications Ministry with Bernama as the implementing agency to recognise the role and contributions of media practitioners to national development.

May 29 has been gazetted as National Journalists’ Day, in conjunction with the first publication of the Utusan Melayu newspaper on May 29, 1939.

- Bernama

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