Establishment of Media Council needs practitioners touch, says Johan Jaaffar

KUALA LUMPUR: The establishment of the Malaysian Media Council needs a "touch" of media practitioners themselves, not the government, says Tan Sri Johan Jaaffar.

The Tokoh Wartawan Negara (National Eminent Journalist) said it was to avoid the issue of the government's dominance over the media thus hindering the media’s right to freedom.

"If the council is mobilised by media practitioners, it can ensure that the rights of the media are voiced collectively by those who have been involved in carrying out their duties as journalists.

"In this matter, the government and the media council can give each other a 'two-way traffic' view," he said when speaking as a guest on Bernama Radio's "Dalam Radar: Arus Media Massa" programme Thursday (Dec 22).

Recently, Communications and Digital Minister Fahmi Fadzil said the government would look into the setting up of the Malaysian Media Council as one of the commitments of the Unity Government.

Meanwhile, Johan also expressed the need to create a commission or a similar organisation that would allow the public to lodge complaints about news reports, so that the balance in (news reports) can be maintained as best as possible.

"The idea is not to monitor or make life difficult for reporters but we are doing a favour for our profession by allowing people to complain (with valid proof) and we learn from that as an experience,” he said. - Bernama