While the Malaysian Press Institute (MPI), which has been tasked to study the government-proposed Press Council, has completed its report, not much is known about the body.

We have sent the report to the Home Ministry, MPI director Zaihan Mahmud told malaysiakini today.

He, however, said the ministry has yet to revert to MPI on the matter.

We cant do anything until it is approved by the ministry, Zaihan said.

According to him, the Home Ministry had earlier suggested the establishment of the press council and sought MPIs assistance to study the matter.

Information Minister Khalil Yaakob yesterday said that MPI had formed a task force to study the press council proposal.

In his written reply to a question from backbencher Seripah Noli Syed Hussin (BN-Sepang) in Parliament yesterday, Khalil said the council would serve as an institution to coordinate and improve professionalism in the media industry.

Nevertheless, Zaihan could not recall when the report was submitted to the Home Ministry.

Not at liberty

He added that he was not at liberty to reveal the content of the report without getting permission from working committee chairperson Sirajuddin Rafia, who is the assistant chief editor for the Utusan group.

When contacted, Sirajuddin said any request for the report should be directed to MPI.

When malaysiakini enquired about the content of the report, he said he could not reveal it.

He, however, referred malaysiakini back to the press institute for permission to obtain a copy of the report.

Asked about the members of the working committee, Sirajuddin said they consisted of media executives and academics from local institutions.

There was one from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia and two from Universiti Teknologi Mara, Sirajuddin said, adding that the report would have a list of the working committee.

Defend press freedom

Various countries such as Indonesia, Philippines and Thailand have their own press councils to defend press freedom from attacks especially from the government, as well as to regulate the media to ensure journalistic ethics are observed.

However, a number of local press freedom groups such Charter 2000 are suspicious of the project.

According to them, the existence of a press council only serve to restrict whatever little freedom that journalists have now as the Malaysian press is already subjected to various restrictive laws, such as the Printing Presses and Publications Act, Official Secrets Act and Sedition Act.

Under the Printing Presses and Publications Act, for example, newspapers are required to obtain a licence from the Home Ministry before they could operate and the licence has to be renewed annually.

On top of the restrictive laws, journalists are also subjected to libel suits.