LETTER | Media council: Let's make it an effective agency

LETTER | The Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ) sees the cabinet’s approval for the Malaysian Media Council (MMC) as a step in the right direction.

It sets a hopeful precedent, for the tabling of the bill at the Parliament is expected to happen in June.

In this regard, CIJ would like to reiterate that the recommendations of the pro tem committee tasked to establish the MMC be adopted fully.

The following considerations must be undertaken to ensure that the MMC plays an effective role as the authority that shall set the standards for the media environment in Malaysia:

An independent mechanism

The MMC is to be set up as an independent multistakeholder mechanism.

By ensuring the inclusion and involvement of multiple stakeholders, including media owners/publishers, journalists and other media workers, civil society and academia, the MMC can represent the voice of all people within the media industry in Malaysia to its best.

It should also be independent as this would allow it to function as an arbiter of media standards without political or business expediency.

The MMC can only keep the public interest at its centre without government interference.

Clear mandate

The bill needs to establish a clear mandate for MMC. This mandate should effectively provide the MMC with the ability to establish and harmonise standards regarding the media as its primary role.

Further, its crucial role in setting up an independent dispute resolution mechanism needs to be defined and instituted within this mandate as articulated by the pro tem committee.

The MMC’s role should also be grounded in international human rights and democratic values that empower the media to be the voice of a diverse and pluralistic society.

The ultimate function of MMC should be to promote, protect and defend media freedom in Malaysia.

Resources

The MMC must be adequately resourced. This funding can come from the taxpayers and be channelled through the Finance Ministry.

These resources would imbue the MMC with the agency to be a proactive actor in guaranteeing that media freedom is in accordance with international standards., premised on the interest of the public and the right to information.

Reform archaic laws

It is also critical that the government undertake a complete reform of the archaic and repressive laws which undermine media freedom.

This includes placing an immediate moratorium on the use of repressive laws like the Printing Presses and Publications Act 1984, the Official Secrets Act 1972, the Sedition Act 1948 and Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act (CMA) 1998, and proceeding with an urgent review to either amend or repeal said laws.

Proceeding this way will also go beyond the usual rhetoric or provisions in the bill and guarantee media reforms and a commitment to uphold our constitutional rights.

We hope that these considerations are taken into account and executed.

CIJ urges the government to continue to involve the pro tem committee in the finalisation of the bill as well as ensure constructive engagement with the media and civil society organisations as it moves towards tabling the bill in June.

The MMC should be an authority in its own right!

Writer is the executive director of The Centre for Independent Journalism.

The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of Malaysiakini.