Government Representatives in Malaysian Media Council to be Media Practitioners, Says Fahmi
Government’s Stance on Media Council
PUTRAJAYA: Government representatives in the Malaysian Media Council (MMC) will be media practitioners from the Malaysian National News Agency (Bernama) or Radio Televisyen Malaysia (RTM), Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil said.
No Politicians in Media Council
Speaking at a post-Cabinet press conference today, Fahmi, who is also the spokesperson for the MADANI government, emphasized that representatives in MMC would not include politicians.
"Many councils, not just the media council (MMC), have government representatives. So this is not an issue, and we have discussed the matter with the pro tem committee that drafted the proposal," he said.
"They must be media professionals, such as those from Bernama or RTM. So I do not see this as unusual. The intention is to facilitate the process if there is any feedback," he said.
Organisations Oppose Government Representatives on Media Council Board
Reports indicate that at least 10 media-related organisations support the establishment of MMC but oppose the inclusion of government representatives on its board.
This concern has been voiced by the Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ), ARTICLE 19, Gerakan Media Merdeka (GERAMM), Justice for Sisters (JFS), Suara Rakyat Malaysia (SUARAM), Sinar Project, Amnesty International Malaysia, Malaysian Centre for Constitutionalism and Human Rights (MCCHR), National Union of Journalists Peninsular Malaysia (NUJM) and KRYSS Network.
Other supporting organisations include the North South Initiative, Pusat Komas, the Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections (BERSIH), SIUMAN Collective, and the Selangor Community Awareness Association (EMPOWER).
Background on Malaysian Media Council Bill 2024
On Feb 26, the Dewan Rakyat passed the Malaysian Media Council Bill 2024, aimed at ensuring media freedom and guaranteeing that the public receives accurate, credible and fair information.
Deputy Communications Minister Teo Nie Ching, when winding up the debate on the bill, said the provision for two government representatives in the MMC board was made because it is a statutory body established under government legislation and falls under the Ministry of Communications.
Gig Workers Bill Update
In another development regarding the Gig Workers Bill, Fahmi said the matter was discussed in the Cabinet meeting, and Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has instructed Human Resources Minister Steven Sim to gather feedback from all stakeholders before bringing the draft bill back to the Cabinet.
"We hope the engagement process and issue review can be completed, and we aim to table the bill in Parliament this year," he said.
Several gig economy service providers have urged the government to refine the bill before presenting it in Parliament to ensure its implementation is clear, practical and does not disrupt the flexible employment ecosystem.
Conclusion
The government’s stance on the Malaysian Media Council and the Gig Workers Bill has sparked concerns among media-related organisations and gig economy service providers. While the government maintains that government representatives in the media council will be media professionals, some organisations remain opposed to the inclusion of government representatives on the board. The government is expected to table the bills in Parliament this year, pending further review and feedback.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is the Malaysian Media Council?
A: The Malaysian Media Council is a statutory body established to ensure media freedom and guarantee that the public receives accurate, credible and fair information.
Q: Who will be the government representatives in the media council?
A: Government representatives in the media council will be media practitioners from the Malaysian National News Agency (Bernama) or Radio Televisyen Malaysia (RTM).
Q: Why are some organisations opposed to the inclusion of government representatives on the media council board?
A: Some organisations are concerned that government representatives may compromise the independence and impartiality of the media council.
Q: What is the Gig Workers Bill?
A: The Gig Workers Bill aims to regulate the gig economy and provide better protection and benefits for gig workers.