Rembau MP Khairy Jamaludin has proposed the establishment of a Press complaints commission to oversee media affairs. He cited as an example the UK Press Complaints Commission, an independent body that enforces the Code of Practices covering issues like accuracy of reporting, opportunity of aggrieved parties to reply, harassment by reporters and payment to criminals.
“I am sure you have your thoughts on how the role of the Home Ministry’s unit that supervises the reporting of sensitive issues and other licensing requirements could be taken over by such a Commission.
“This concept is not new. For example, the Swedish Press Council is over eighty-five years old. It is true that these are developed countries with mature democracies. But are we, too, not an almost developed country with an increasingly mature democracy?” he asked.
Khairy was speaking at the National Union of Journalists (NUJ) Malaysia press freedom forum 2008 entitled: General Elections 2008:Press Freedom?”
He said for those who felt the present system of government regulation was necessary because of racial of religious sensitivities, these concerns could still be addressed under independent regulation.
He later told reporters that he would bring up the issue of media reform in Parliament on Monday.
He said once one had thought through a road map that held at its heart both freedom and responsibility in equal measure, then the Printing Presses and Publications Act should be repealed.
“We should not be afraid of this brave new world of journalism, but rather help strengthen it so that Malaysians will benefit from getting credible news everywhere – from the mainstream and other stream media.
“Without these reforms, truth is obscured and sentiment and innuendo reign supreme,” he said.
Article source:
