Media freedom advocacy group Gerakan Media Merdeka (Geramm) has voiced its objections to the suggestion to register all online media portals in Malaysia with the Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC).
“Geramm hereby stresses our opposition to the move which we see as yet another effort to neuter the voice of the Malaysian media.
“To begin with, all media companies in Malaysia are already registered with the Companies Commission of Malaysia (CCM) and complied with all the regulations that shackled them all these while.
“All the portals are also accredited and issued with the media identification cards issued by the Home Ministry. (They are also) open for investigations by the police, sued, charged in court and even raided by authorities including MCMC,” the group said in a statement today.
They were responding to Communications and Multimedia Minister Salleh Said Keruak, who had announced on Aug 28 that the ministry was considering a proposal for all online media portals to be registered with MCMC.
Salleh said that this would make it easier for the commission to monitor the total number of visitors to these sites.
The minister had also reportedly said that MCMC would be determining the portals’ registration process based on certain criteria. He had cited the example of Singapore, which enforces a similar policy.
Geramm highlighted the government's guarantee that the Internet would not be censored under the Multimedia Super Corridor (MSC), which promotes the growth of companies and the information technology industry.
“As such we once again urge all parties to defend voices that are out of the mainstream sphere and ensure freedom of press and information is upheld.
“Undeniably a free media is an asset and not an enemy to a transparent and accountable state, as well as a functioning mature democracy,” they said.
Geramm, formerly known as Gerakan Media Marah, is a loose coalition of media practitioners that has been vocal in expressing its concern over media issues in Malaysia. - Mkini
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