Media council shelved: Charter 2000 vindicated

We are pleased to hear that government will not be acting on the proposal for a national press council by the Malaysian Press Institute (MPI) due to the "poor response" from editors and journalists.

This vindicates our position that the media council and self-regulation cannot be imposed on editors and journalists unless repressive laws are first repealed.

Most journalists and other groups have indicated that they are not willing to have a press council unless the Printing Presses and Publications Act is either repealed or amended.

But we have always maintained that ALL repressive laws that curb freedom of expression (ISA, OSA, PPPA and Sedition Act) must be repealed. Otherwise, a national press council would only serve as a second layer of control.

We are especially pleased to see the National Union of Journalists taking a strong stand against the press council.

Its president Norila Md Daud was reported in Malaysiakini as saying that the poor response to the press council was not because journalists were not supportive of a self-regulating mechanism. Rather, they were against any moves to impose a media council when many legal restrictions on press freedom existed.

"What is the point of a media council when it adds onto existing restrictions? The council should be self-regulatory and encourage greater press freedom.

"It should be established in the context that existing media restrictions be waived," she said.

We hope that in the light of these comments, the NUJ will now be able to endorse the Charter 2000 press freedom manifesto.