The Dewan Rakyat this evening passed the Malaysian Media Council Bill 2024, which aims to, among others, create an open, responsible, and transparent media council to help build confidence in the media and contribute to the credibility of media organisations in the country.
The Bill was passed in the Dewan Rakyat with a majority voice vote after being debated by 18 Members of Parliament.
Deputy Communications Minister Teo Nie Ching, who tabled the Bill, said it is aimed at strengthening media governance in Malaysia.
“The formulation of the Malaysian Media Council Bill 2024 reflects the government’s efforts to pave the way for a more democratic, free, and ethical media in Malaysia,” said Teo.
“I believe this Bill will bring various benefits to the media industry in the long term. The Malaysian Media Council will act as a body for media governance and help create a professional media community with ethical, fair, and accurate reporting through credible sources.”
The Malaysian Media Council (MMC) is intended to set standards related to media and create communication channels between the public, media, and the government. It will also act as a body that facilitates complaints received from the public.
Teo said the proposal to establish a committee to coordinate the governance of the media industry in Malaysia was initiated in 1973 by the second prime minister, Tun Abdul Razak Hussein. However, the matter was pursued by former Communications and Multimedia Minister, Gobind Singh Deo in 2020.
Teo credited Gobind for getting the ball rolling, adding that he had chaired a “kick-off meeting” to set up the MMC on Jan 16, 2020. The meeting saw the establishment of a pro-tem committee comprising 21 individuals.
She said the establishment of the council reflects the commitment of the government to guarantee media freedom, ensuring the public receives accurate, credible, and fair information.
“Through the establishment of the MMC, the government believes that checks and balances can be implemented by the media industry players themselves to improve integrity practices and adherence to ethics,” Teo said.
“This is the significant role of the MMC and media practitioners in ensuring the integrity of reporting for the public.”
Countries worldwide have established their own press or media councils since the 1950s. This includes Germany (1956), India (1966), Indonesia (1968), Australia (1976), New Zealand (1972), and Ireland (2008).
