Dewan Negara Passes Malaysian Media Council Bill 2024

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Deputy communications minister Teo Nie Ching said the bill provided for two government representatives on the MMC board. (Bernama pic)
PETALING JAYA: The Dewan Negara has passed the Malaysian Media Council (MMC) Bill 2024.
Tabled for its second reading by deputy communications minister Teo Nie Ching, the bill was passed by a majority voice vote after being debated by 17 senators.
Teo said a code of conduct must be approved at the council’s annual general meeting to allow it to establish its own regulations without government interference.
“We want to empower the media council. We believe it can self-regulate, and we will grant it the authority to approve its own code of conduct, including procedures for handling grievances,” Bernama quoted her as saying.
Teo said the MMC committee would have the authority to invite any individual, whether a member or non-member, to participate in its investigations.
She said if the committee found that a news report was unethical and serious action was needed, it could recommend the police take action or the information department suspend the individual’s media accreditation card.
Teo said the bill provided for two government representatives on the MMC board, as it was a body established through government legislation and accountable to the communications ministry.
“As stipulated in the bill, these representatives must be from companies in the media industry, such as RTM and Bernama,” she said.
Teo said those appointed to represent the government must not merely serve as government agents. -FMT

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