KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Media Council (MMC) will serve as a key pillar in ensuring media practitioners consistently uphold ethical, responsible, and professional standards, says Deputy Communications Minister Teo Nie Ching.
Teo congratulated the MMC for holding its first Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Nov 7 and appointing its members, noting the achievement that 50% of the appointed members are women.
"During this AGM, the Code of Conduct and Complaint Mechanism were also approved with amendments, marking an important step towards building a stronger, ethical, professional media ecosystem that is trusted by the public," she said in reply to a question from Datuk Seri Hasni Mohamad (BN-Simpang Renggam) during Question Time.
Hasni had asked about measures to safeguard the government’s image, amid claims the government cannot control negative media portrayals.
Teo said the MMC adheres to the principle of “of the media, by the media, for the media,” serving not only as a monitor of journalistic ethics but also providing mechanisms to resolve complaints and build a responsible media ecosystem.
"The disciplinary action mechanism under the Malaysian Media Council Act enables the Council to take action against members who violate provisions under the Act, as set out in the code of conduct, guidelines, directives, or circulars," she said.
She explained the council comprises three categories: media companies, media practitioners (including independents), and the public (including NGOs).
Teo stressed that the Madani government respects media freedom as a key pillar of democracy, but said this freedom must be exercised responsibly and professionally.
"The media plays a role not only in ensuring government transparency and accountability but also in ensuring that the information conveyed to the public is accurate, balanced, and not misleading," she said.
A total of 12 individuals were elected to the MMC board at its inaugural AGM, representing media companies and journalist/media association categories.
The MMC is an independent self-regulatory body for the media industry, promoting journalistic ethics and media freedom. The Malaysian Media Council Bill 2024 was passed in the Dewan Rakyat on Feb 26.
