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New media council Bill to empower the press, ensure fair and credible reporting
KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 28 —The Malaysian Media Council (MMC) Bill 2024, passed in the Dewan Rakyat yesterday, will enable the media in the country to carry out their duties more effectively, says Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil.
He said the self-regulation concept in the Bill also served as an indicator that the media industry in the country was independent and that the people’s right to free speech was not restricted.
“We hope that with the establishment of the Malaysian Media Council, the media, in general, will be able to perform their duties more effectively. If any issues arise, the media themselves, through the council, will be able to manage them independently,” he told reporters after attending a fidyah rice distribution programme in the Lembah Pantai area, organised by Ikhlas Com Travel & Umrah Sdn Bhd here yesterday.
Elaborating further, Fahmi expressed hope that the MMC would also help curb the spread of fake news.
“It starts with journalistic ethics, which we hope will be upheld through this council. If the government were to enforce it, it might seem like a restriction.
“But if the industry itself sets the standard for journalism, determined by the industry itself, I see this as more sustainable and better for media freedom in Malaysia,” he said.
Meanwhile, Fahmi said he would pursue several related matters, which would be announced during the National Journalists’ Day (Hawana) celebration scheduled for June.
“The current issue faced by many media companies is profitability and financial challenges, which are business-related issues. These are some of the matters I will follow up on.
“Following the passage of this Bill in the Dewan Rakyat, I have met with the Protem Committee that helped draft the Bill, as well as the Editors-in-Chief group.
“I informed them that we are working on several initiatives that we hope to announce during Hawana this June… which will provide support and assistance to media companies in Malaysia,” he said.
The Dewan Rakyat on Wednesday passed the Malaysian Media Council (MMC) Bill 2024, which aims to safeguard media freedom to ensure society receives accurate, credible, and fair information.
