The announcement came following consultation with the Malaysian Attorney General’s Chambers, and almost five years since the initial introduction of the bill. Fadzil, a supporter of the bill since at least 2020, initially claimed the bill could be introduced as early as October 2023, with the Communications Ministry announcing plans in May 2023 to present the bill to parliament before 2024.
The news has been welcomed by press freedom advocates and civil society, with the acknowledgement that the bill must be implemented with due considerations. The Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ) called the move a ‘step in the right direction’, but urged Malaysian authorities to ensure the council would be established with operational independence, clear responsibilities and mechanisms for dispute resolution, and be provided with adequate resources. The NUJM urged the government to ensure the continued welfare of journalists and media workers, and to ensure the union’s representation in all discussions.
While the idea to establish a self-regulating media council was first mentioned in 1973, the bill in its current form was introduced in 2019 under the Pakatan Harapan coalition government, elected a year prior. A 21-member, ‘pro-tem’, or temporary, consultative committee including the NUJM was established in December 2019, with a report complete with recommendations outlining the council’s scope, mandate, and purpose produced in July 2020. The bill and media council struggled to gain traction under the Malay nationalist governments of Ismeil Sabri Yaakob and Muhyiddin Yassin.
The announcement comes a day after the launch of the controversial Code of Ethics for Journalists on February 20. Fadzil has claimed the bill will be introduced for debate in the June 2024 sitting of the Dewan Rakyat, the Malaysian lower house of Parliament.
The NUJM said: “The NUJM welcomes the tabling of the Malaysian Media Council (MMC) due in June this year. We hope that all the proposals as suggested by the pro-tem council in which NUJM is part of, will be taken into serious consideration and adopted on the formation of the council. The NUJM feels that the formation of the Media Council, if not properly composed and functioned as it should be, will only act like another watch dog for the government and this will hinder Press Freedom. Any measures to establish the Bill, must take into account the independence of the council from any governmental involvement.”
The IFJ said: “Cabinet’s approval of the Malaysian Media Council bill is a welcome and long-awaited development for Malaysia’s media. However, if the resulting council is not adequately funded, given its due independence, or provided the tools to self-regulate the industry, then its effectiveness will be limited. The IFJ welcomes the Malaysian Cabinet’s approval of the bill and urges the Malaysian authorities to ensure that the MMC can work to its potential.”