PPPA amendments placed before House

Amendments to the Printing Presses and Publications Act 1984 (PPPA) have been tabled for first reading in the Dewan Rakyat by Deputy Home Minister Abu Seman Yusop.

Key proposals seek to remove the provision for annual renewal of printing and publishing permits, and to end the home minister's absolute discretion in granting these licences.

Section 12 will be amended to remove the 12-month period of validity for a permit, allowing it to remain valid ‘until revoked’.

Sections 3(3) and 6(2) have been reworded to remove the minister's absolute discretion in granting permits.

The amendments further introduce judicial review of decisions to reject applications for permits or revocation of licences, allowing those affected to challenge such decisions in court. Consultations will be held prior to any decision by the ministry.

Section 13A(1) is therefore to be amended by removing the words ‘and (the minister’s decision) shall not be called in question by any court on any grounds whatsoever’.

Section 13B is to be replaced to state: ‘A person who has been granted a licence  or permit under this Act shall be given the opportunity to be heard, before a decision to revoke or suspend such licence or permit is made.’       

Journalists and civil society organisations have long pushed for repeal of the PPPA, on the ground that the print media must be free to operate as a watchdog of the public interest.

The licensing requirements alone have had the effect of ensuring that newspaper companies would toe the line and practise self-censorhip.

These amendments would ostensibly remove the worst elements of the restrictions, thereby enabling self-regulation of the media industry to be introduced.