Editors snub gov't-led media council at first meeting

Editors of print media were today unanimous in their opposition to a government-led media consultative council, at the first meeting with the government to discuss the matter.

According to those who attended the poorly-represented closed- door meeting chaired by Information, Communication and Culture Ministry secretary general Kamaruddin Siaraf, the editors were "about 100 percent" against government involvement in the council.

Notable absences in the one-hour meeting today were top editors of widely-read publications The Star, The Edge and Malay Mail.

Those who made it included representatives from The Sun, Bernama, the China Press group, Sin Chew group and the NSTP group, as well as the National Union of Journalists Malaysia.

Also present were media officials from the Prime Minister's Department.

“The print media is sending a very clear message that we feel that this is another layer of control.

“The perception is that we are already battered,” said a source who attended the meeting.

This was echoed by NSTP group managing editor Nuraina Samad, who also attended the meeting.

“How is going to help our circulation?” she asked, raising anxiety over the council's effect on the bottom line.

However, Kamaruddin, who according to the Home Ministry and Information, Communication and Ministry joint-proposal is to be the co-deputy chairperson of the council, said that the press have gotten the wrong impression.

'It's not about regulation'

“The council is not about regulation, it is just a consultative council that has no executive powers.

“We just want to be a helping hand, nothing else.”

“All we want is to pave the way to establish (an independent) media council... we have enough laws to regulate already,” he said, adding that he will take the feedback to the government.

Kamaruddin, who admitted that the editors had “gone against him” in the meeting, also went as far as conceding “failure”.

“We had called the print media first.. but it has failed even with them... so I have to report this to the government,” he said.

He added that they will also consider the suggestion from Bernama editor-in-chief Yong Soo Heong to also include media owners in the council.

According to NUJ secretary-general V Anbalagan (right), what the media essentially wants is a council independent of the government in order to maintain its role as the fourth estate.

“This is a step backward, an exercise in futility... What we want is to set up a council made up of media members which is funded with taxpayers' money.

“It should not be headed by the government but by a retired judge,” he said, relating the outcome of a NUJ meeting in April on the matter.

The government proposal discussed today suggested that the council be co-chaired by Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein and Information, Communications and Culture Minister Rais Yatim.

The deputy co-chairpersons will be the ministries' secretary generals, while officials from the Prime Minister's Department, National Security Council, and the Information Ministry's Special Functions Department (Jasa) were also proposed as council members.

The council aims to, among others, be a forum for “harmonious” cooperation in the interest of nation-building, and to produce “communication strategies to tackle recurring issues”.

Additional reporting by NIGEL AW. - Malaysiakini