As we approach the National Consultation on a Malaysian Media Council, to be held 4-5 March in Kuala Lumpur, the Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ) and the Malaysian Centre for Constitutionalism and Human Rights (MCCHR) are pleased to launch a new website to give members of the general public the chance to join the discussion.
A media council was first proposed in the 1970s, but there has been resistance from journalists and other stakeholders, due to the existing regulation, in particular the Printing Presses and Publications Act. The Pakatan Harapan manifesto promised the establishment of a Media Council and the repeal of the PPPA. Together, these measures could significantly improve both the responsiveness and responsibility of the media to the public. Rather than being responsible to the government, as is, ultimately, the case under the PPPA, a self-regulatory Media Council would give members of the public the power to hold media to account. Thus, it is important for the public to be part of the conversation in the establishment of a Media Council.
The new site has resources on past iterations of the media council in Malaysia and elsewhere, has videos with experts on various aspects of self-regulation, and allows users to sit in the Media Council hot seat with a quiz on media ethics. During the Consultation itself, the site will host regular updates, and there will be video interviews with participants.
The website is hosted at msiamediacouncil.website and is being regularly updated.
Released by:
Sonia Randhawa, Director
Centre for Independent Journalism
