KUALA LUMPUR: The Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ) views with concern the statement by the Malaysian Press Institute in supporting the government's move to set up a media council "which will be responsible in formulating a national media policy".

CIJ is worried that the statement is an endorsement of the government's move to regulate the media further through an act of Parliament to set up the council as this will be an additional layer of control over the media.

CIJ executive director Gayathry Venkiteswaran said the MPI's draft bill in 2001 and a Private Member's Bill by Datuk Zaid Ibrahim in 2006 on the media council lack widespread consultation and the initiative to repeals laws/provisions and regulations that already control the work of journalists.

"Talk of a media council must firstly be in the context of reviewing and repealing laws, regulations and procedures that have a negative impact on the media and the public's access to information. Secondly, the proposal and the statement of support ignore the stand of journalists who have repeatedly rejected a statutory body to govern the profession and are instead supportive of self-regulation. But self-regulation can only come with the removal of bad laws" she said in a statement.

On July 2, the MPI chief executive officer Chamil Wariya was quoted by Bernama as saying that he welcomed the media council as a sincere effort to ensure press freedom and to place all media under a monitoring authority.

"If the government was since about promoting media freedom, then it must be sincere in accepting the reality that there are laws like the Printing Presses and Publications Act, the Official Secrets Act and the Sedition Act, among others, that are outdated and are irrelevant in a democratic society.

"The best form of monitoring the media is to uphold ethical values and professionalism and to respect the work of journalists. A media council is useful only if we remove legal obstacles that currently impede media freedom and the people's right to access to information. A council must be independent of the government and political parties, something that is impossible to envisage as we see both institutions interfering in editorial decisions."

She cautioned that while some countries had good experiences with a media council, there were also bad examples and the proponents must be mindful of these.

See CIJ's list of issues of concern and Aliran's statement on the issue.