http://sun2surf.com/article.cfm?id=31988
PETALING JAYA (April 7, 2009) : Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak’s encouragement for “open, vigorous and informed debate and dialogues, and reporting without fear of consequences??? by the media was welcomed by various quarters, yet with strong calls for “action first???.
Urging the government to review the various media laws fencing the media operations in the country, the National Union of Journalist (NUJ) president Norilla Daud said Najib had made a very good point by encouraging more skeptical and critical reporting.
However, Norilla, a Utusan Malaysia senior journalist, asked: “How are we going to be critical with the Acts and regulations still around? Give us the freedom first.???
The media is regulated and controlled by the Printing Presses and Publications Act (PPPA) 1984, Sedition Act and Official Secrets Act (OSA) and also Internal Security Act (ISA).
She said many editors or editors-in-chief of mainstream print media were appointed by “political masters???, thus making them beholden to the “masters???.
Norilla said with almost all official documents, on government projects for instance, classified under the OSA, “How then, can the media make government officials be accountable for their actions or fulfil their duties for the public????
“To have a world-class fact-based reporting standard, the media laws must also be of world-class standard, providing more space for the international media and journalists to scrutinise and be critical of issues,??? she said.
Najib had last night at the Malaysian Press Institute MPI-Petronas Journalism Awards Night said the Malaysia needs “world-class fact-based reporting??? and the media must be be fair and responsible in reporting.
Echoing similar arguments, Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ) executive director V.Gayathry said: “The government must set up a special committee to review all these laws and refrain from using the printing permit to suspend, give a show cause letter or warning to the media when they are critical.???
Gerakan Youth chief Lim Si Pin, in a statement, welcomed Najib’s view on the role of the media but urged a review of the PPPA, especially on the annual permit renewal.
He said government officers tasked with monitoring the media should also “change their mindset??? that they are supposed to “manage???, not control them.
PKR Information chief Tian Chua said: “Ask Umno to sell its shares in Utusan Malaysia, ask MCA to sell its shares in The Star. Media monopoly and control should stop.
“Once he (Najib) does this, then the people will truly appreciate whatever you say and know that there is substance to it,??? he added.