KUALA LUMPUR, July 2 — The Malaysian Media Council bill is expected to be tabled during the Third Meeting of the Third Session of the 15th Parliament, which is slated to begin in mid-October, said Deputy Communications Minister Teo Nie Ching.
The Communications Ministry is currently in the final stage of finalising the content of the bill together with the Protem Committee of the Malaysian Media Council which consists of representatives of the media industry, academics, and the public.
“This is to ensure that the provisions in the bill are clear and that the establishment of the media council will meet the objectives,” she said.
Teo was speaking at the wind-up of the debate on the motion for the Malaysian Human Rights Commission’s Annual Report and Financial Statement for 2021 and 2022 for the Communications Ministry at the Dewan Rakyat sitting today.
In May, the ministry was asked by the Attorney-General (AGC) to refer the bill to the Malaysian Productivity Corporation (MPC) for Regulatory Impact Analysis (RIA).
Once the draft of the bill is finalised and the RIA process is completed, it will be submitted to the AG Chambers for further review.
“After the AG review, the ministry will present a Cabinet Memorandum to obtain approval for the tabling of the bill in Parliament,” Teo said.
The proposed establishment of the Malaysian Media Council is to develop and implement a code of reporting ethics that can empower the nation’s journalism profession and ensure news reporting by the media is done responsibly.
It also promotes communication between media practitioners, government, and the general public and supports the professional development of journalists and media organisations.
— Bernama
