Reclaim your freedom of assembly to support press freedom
Can you tolerate these developments?
Four newspapers (Sarawak Tribunes, Berita Petang Sarawak, Guang Ming Daily, Weekend Mail) have had their publication permits suspended in 2006 and now Makkal Osai by Internal Ministry.
UMNO-related Media Prima controls four terrestrial TV channels (TV3, NTV7, 8TV, TV9), 2 radio stations (Fly and Hot FM, two Malay dailies (Berita Harian, Harian Metro), and two English newspapers (New Straits Times, Malay Mail). It is under UMNO-controlled Utusan Malaysia.
MCA controls the top English daily (The Star) and two radio stations (Red and 988 FM). It is the strategic ally of Tiong Hiew King in controlling the top four Chinese dailies (Sin Chew Daily, China Press, Guang Ming Daily, Nanyang Siang Pao).
Information Ministry proposes to set up a Media Council to further control the media.
Representatives at the UMNO General Assembly complained that the broadcasting media has been under-regulated and demanded the media be put the control of an UMNO Minister, rather than under the current Gerakan Minister.
These are the direct result of our repressive media-related laws and the attitude the laws engender. In particular, the Printing Presses and Publications Act 1984 (PPPA) prevents the printed media from acting independently.
All newspapers are required to have a printing press license and publication permit, which need to be applied for annually, with no guarantee of renewal. The Minister has the absolute power to grant, suspend or revoke such licenses and permits, unchecked by judicial review. This creates an artificial monopoly of power of the printed media industry, with all newspapers controlled by Government-controlled or -related interests.
While the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 (CMA) has provisions to check "substantial lessening of competition" and "dominant players", such provisions have not translated effectively checked Media Prima's hegemonic presence in the free-to-air market.
On top of these laws, freedom of expression and information are curbed by other repressive laws such as the Sedition Act 1948 (SA), the Internal Security Act 1960 (ISA) and the Official Secrets Act 1972 (OSA). These laws cause media to be state-controlled, stifling ethics, professionalism and freedom in journalism. Malaysia therefore needs a thorough reform of media laws, including the enactment of an Freedom of Information Act.
Such media reform can be achieved by the establishment of a Parliamentary Select Committee which can carry out extensive public consultation similar to that on laws related to violence against women. The first step towards this is a multi-party Parliamentary Caucus.
It is time for us all to speak up and be counted in our demand for press freedom, a right enshrined by Article 10(1)(a) of the Federal Constitution. December is especially crucial for journalists as they await the Internal Security Ministry's decision to approve applications for the 2007 publication permits. The pressure to get through leads to more than usual self-censorship in the news room in year end or even sacking of editors, as what happened in China Press previous year.
The Writers Alliance for Media Independence (WAMI), the Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ),Woman Development Collective (WDC), Malaysian Press Institute (MPI) must take immediate action to demonstrate their rights in order to reclaim another constitutional right, the freedom of peaceful assembly, enshrined under Article 10(1)(b) but curbed by oppressive provisions in the Police Act and Penal Code.
Media Laws Reform - That the Parliament to set up a Select Committee to review, reform and repeal all suppressive provisions in PPPA, CMA, SA, ISA and OSA, to enact a Freedom of Information Act and introduce anti-monopoly provisions in relevant legislations.
Approval of Licenses and Permits for 2007 - That the Internal Security Ministry to approve all applications for printing press license and publication permit in 2007 without any delay or intimidation.
No Political Party Ownership of Media - That UMNO and MCA relinquish their stakes in Utusan Malaysia, The Star and.
No Media Monopoly - That Media Prima, ASTRO to divest their stakes in some of the media entities they owned to diversify the ownership in Malaysia's media industry.
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