A walk for media freedom will take place this coming Sunday (June 1), culminating in a speech by the de facto law minister Zaid Ibrahim on his views in unshackling the press in this country.

The walk will start at the historic Dataran Merdeka from 9am and end at the National Press Club in Jalan Tangsi, which is about a kilometre away.

Organised by Benar, a civil society initiative established to address the state of journalism in the country, the walk hopes to draw a crowd of 150 people to show support for the cause.

benar campaign logo 260508 Benar also hopes to garner support from organisations such as the National Union of Journalists, the NPC and various media groups.

"We look forward to strong support from them. This is an opportunity that they should not miss out on," said Benar representative V Gayathry, also the executive director of Centre of Independent Journalism.

Benar was launched in conjunction with the World Press Freedom Day on May 3 with the main task of calling for a free, fair and ethical media which encompasses broadcast, print and online media.

Labeling it as a symbolic walk, Gayathry also stressed that there would be no public gathering on the said day to avoid problems with security laws.

"Instead, participants are being asked to arrive on their own in ones and twos, show their respect to the national flag at Dataran Merdeka, and then proceed immediately to the National Press Club which is just around the corner," she said today.

"Those who wish to do so are invited to wear something yellow, a reflection that this is a people's activity," she added.

Zaid's request

Gayathry also said that Zaid will speak to the participants on that day, explaining his views about the road to media freedom.

She however said that the minister in the Prime Minister's Department had two specific requests to make.

"That journalists turn up in large numbers and that this programme calls for ethics and accountability as much as it calls for freedom," added Gayathry.

"And since this is the very thrust of this campaign and exactly what we are calling upon the writer community to deliver, it looks like we are very much in sync."

Gayathry also revealed that Benar was in the midst of collecting signatures for its petition for the introduction of a Freedom of Information Act.

She said the movement hoped to submit sufficient signatures to the government on Merdeka Day (Aug 31) and Malaysia Day (Sept 16) respectively.

Those interested to participate in the walk can visit Benar's website for more information.