Star and Sun editors are gradually seeing the light

So, are the editors of the mainstream media finally seeing the light? It was refreshing to see editors of The Star and The Sun calling for a repeal of or amendment to the draconian Printing Presses and Publications Act (PPPA) yesterday during a forum "Testing the Limits" organised by the National Union of Journalists. Are the editors now feeling bolder now that Mahathir is no longer the PM?

Perhaps they think Abdullah might be more amenable to media reforms. We shall see. I recall he hasn't done anything about a memorandum (signed by hundreds of journalists) that a group of concerned journalists (Initiatif Wartawan) handed over to him several years ago.

I am sure these editors who are now calling for change realise that the stifling restrictions on media freedom have hurt the credibility of their newspapers and in the long run, their traditional readers may turn to alternative news sources like online web portal, Malaysiakini.

But it has to be pointed out that the PPPA is only one of the problems facing the local media.

Control over the media in Malaysia is exercised in several ways:

- through a culture of fear that allows self-censorship to prevail.
- though oppressive laws such as the ISA, the PPPA, the Sedition Act, and the Official Secrets Act.
- through tight control over ownership of the mainstream media, currently confined to ruling political parties and those closely associated or friendly with them.
- through increasing commercialisation that drowns out the voices of grassroots groups seeking empowerment

Thus, repealing or amending the PPPA alone is not going to alter the repressive climate for press freedom in Malaysia. What Charter 2000-Aliran has stressed all along is that ALL repressive laws must be repealed and wide-ranging media reforms must be introduced. Licensing laws must also be removed so that a broad spectrum of voices in civil society can then be heard. It is only then can we talk meaningfully about self-regulation.

This is the only way to broaden the range of voices that can be heard and to remove the rope of fear that strangles press freedom in Malaysia.

Meanwhile, we invite the editors of the mainstream media not to wait for press freedom to be handed to them on a silver platter but to start "testing the limits" immediately.