PETALING JAYA: Press freedom is essential for a country that practises a democratic system of governance as the media is the fourth estate that plays the role as check-and-balance against any excesses by any agency, person or government, said Chan Quin Er, MCA’s publicity bureau chairperson and central committee member.
Given the above, no authority should take it upon themselves to put undue pressure on the media to censure themselves, said Chan in a recent statement in response to what is deemed as a high-handed approach by the government, in particular the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC), in evaluating reports that are critical of the government.
“In a speech celebrating National Journalists’ Day (Hawana) 2023, the premier assured the media that they should not feel the need for self-censorship when it comes to criticising the government,” said Chan, who added that if the intent is to invigorate freedom and democracy, then everyone should respect (freedom of the press).
On this count, Chan said MCA is concerned over the way MCMC is conducting itself, as it will usher the way forward where media freedom will eventually be eroded.
“Additionally, the main mission of the media such as channelling facts and information to the public will likewise be reined in.
“To restore public confidence in press freedom, Communications and Digital Minister Fahmi Fadzil needs to offer reassurances of safeguards in place to prevent similar action by MCMC from recurring,” she said, adding that it is vital to ensure that media curtailment does not become a habit as this can lead to an unhealthy trajectory for the media industry.
Meanwhile, the Malaysian Bar has said the Printing Presses and Publications Act 1984 (PPPA) should be repealed as it has outlived its purpose and is “no longer relevant in a democratic society”.
Its president Karen Cheah reiterated the call following the recent raids on Swatch stores and the seizures of its Pride collection watches in May as well as two books from Toko Buku Rakyat last month. She called on the unity government to instead establish an independent body to regulate the publication industry, including that of the press.
“This ensures fundamental liberties enshrined under the Federal Constitution are preserved and the oversight body of any publications is aligned with it,” she said.
Cheah also said Section 7 of the PPPA states that any prohibition is only applicable after it has been gazetted in accordance with the Act prior to any action by the ministry.
The ministry, she said, only gazetted a prohibition order against the 11 Swatch stores on Aug 10 – three months after the raids – for its “publication related to LGBTQ+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and others)”.
“Based on the Home Ministry’s media release on Aug 10, the prohibition order is said to be premised on the grounds of morality and public and national interests in preventing the spread of elements that ‘promote, support and normalise the LGBTQ+ movement which is not acceptable by the general public in Malaysia’.”
Cheah said the ministry is expected to make a prohibition order before carrying out the raids.“Without a gazette in place prohibiting such ‘undesirable publications’, any raid and seizure carried out by the ministry would most likely be unlawful and excessive,” she said.
The Malaysian Bar, she said, views the explanations given by the Home Minister pertaining to why the raids and seizures were made as “unsatisfactory and lacking in substance, especially in view of the due legal process that has to be followed”.
On May 13 and 14, the ministry raided 11 Swatch stores in the country and seized over 160 pieces of the Pride collection watches worth US$14,000 (RM64,400).
