Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ) has called for the government to focus on the formation of a media council instead of considering the enforcement of stricter laws or policies to ensure ethical and responsible reporting.
This is as a self-regulatory body for the industry is paramount in maintaining the highest ethical standards and code of conduct, the NGO said.
"CIJ notes Communications and Digital Minister Fahmi Fadzil’s intention to amend the Communications and Multimedia Acts 1998 (CMA) to overcome unethical journalism and refine its regulatory framework.
"It is indeed critical to ensure that any attempts to amend the CMA, is to strengthen, and not undermine freedom of speech or media freedom in Malaysia.
"While we agree with Fahmi on the importance of ethical and responsible reporting, we do not believe that fair and unbiased journalism will be achieved through the adoption of stricter laws or policies," its executive director Wathshlah Naidu said in a statement today.
She stressed that it was more critical to push for the establishment of the media council, as a transparent and self-regulatory body for the industry.
"The media council will also provide the necessary dispute resolution process that meets the needs of the industry as well as place the public’s interest at the heart of any resolution," Wathshlah added.
She urged the minister to engage multiple stakeholders in reviewing the CMA with this principle in mind.
CIJ suggested the ministry collaborate with civil society organisations to improve fact-check mechanisms and effectively debunk false narratives before they spread.
The government should also focus on media and digital literacy, and public information dissemination to counter misinformation and disinformation, rather than solely relying on laws or regulations, Wathshlah said.
CMA amendment plans
It was reported that Fahmi said the government was planning to amend the CMA.
"The amendment, however, is not meant to restrict freedom of expression and the media, (but) to strengthen the regulatory framework related to network security and reliability," he was quoted as saying by the New Straits Times.
Last December, Fahmi said the government would continue to engage with industry stakeholders on the formation of a media council.
In 2018, National Journalists Day (Hawana) participants representing various media organisations proposed the Malaysian Media Council.
A pro-tem committee to set up an independent media council through an act of Parliament was formed in January 2020, when Gobind Singh Deo helmed the ministry.
A draft bill was later submitted to Gobind’s successor, Saifuddin Abdullah.
Further engagements were also carried out with Fahmi's predecessor, Annuar Musa. - Mkini
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