Media council to hold inaugural meeting on Friday

Summary

• The Malaysian Media Council (MMC) will hold its inaugural general meeting this Friday to elect its 12-member governing board.

• The new 20-member board, which will include appointed members and govt representatives, will serve a two-year term.

• Key motions include approving the Code of Conduct and Grievance Mechanism, and finalising its budget and allowances.

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The Malaysian Media Council (MMC) will hold its inaugural general meeting this Friday to elect its governing board.

Interim chairperson Premesh Chandran said the governing board would consist of representatives from media companies, media practitioners, media organisations, and other organisations and individuals representing the public interest.

“The elected board of 12 members will be joined by up to six appointed members and two government representatives, forming a 20-member board, together with an appointed chairperson.

“The new board will serve a two-year term,” he said in a statement today.

Premesh also extended his appreciation to all founding board members for their dedication to developing the start-up organisation.

“They have contributed entirely on a voluntary basis, without any dedicated funding,” he said.

Key issues

Premesh said the meeting would also discuss several key motions, including approving the Code of Conduct and Grievance Mechanism, as well as operational matters related to membership fees, allowances for the chairperson and board members, and the MMC’s budget.

He added that the first general meeting was organised by the MMC founding board, which was appointed by Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil in July under the Malaysian Media Council Act.

He said the founding board's mandate was to open membership, call the first general meeting, and hold elections within six months of their appointment.

Premesh also expressed his gratitude to Faiz Mustafa, who served voluntarily as interim secretary.

“Faiz’s experience in working with government agencies has been invaluable in helping us navigate official processes and procedures,” he added.

Govt allocation

Meanwhile, Premesh informed that the government allocated over RM120,000 this year for membership development, the first general meeting, and related activities.

He said the funds were received in the last week of October.

In addition, RM4 million was allocated for operational funds, including the office, secretariat, and MMC activities, which is expected to be received in the first quarter of next year.

“We have managed to set up much of the council’s initial infrastructure - including a bank account, website, appointing legal advisers, developing operating procedures, and the code of conduct - as well as process membership applications and organise this general meeting purely through volunteer effort.

This reflects the strong commitment and drive to make the council a success,” Premesh added.

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