The recent spate of sex and violence-related stories in the media has prompted Information Minister Abdul Kadir Sheikh Fadzir to urge the private print and electronic media to formulate a mutually agreed set of guidelines on media code of ethics.

"Of late, we have been reading many news reports of violence, rape and court cases which sometimes reveal very personal matters like the high-profile cases going on now.

"The cases are widely talked about as they indirectly involve innocent people," he was quoted as saying in a Bernama report today.

Kadir said many countries had enforced the media code of ethics whose guidelines were drawn up by media practitioners themselves.

"The code of ethics is good as it will provide the guide on the do's and don'ts and the appropriate parametres in all aspects," he said.

Journalistic responsibilities

He said the government respected press freedom and was leaving it to the media to think what should be included in the guidelines.

"We want to see how the print and electronic media conduct themselves. All of us have our responsibilities and the duty to honour the responsibilities depended on journalists and newspapers which may have other interests like making profits.

"The government will not interfere but I hope the media fraternity will sit down and discuss to come up with a code of ethics to regulate themselves so that they can play a responsible role," he said.

The minister said discussions would be held from time to time with editors-in-chief of the print and electronic media to gather information on latest developments in the media industry.

He said the private sector media must cooperate with the government to disseminate information about government policies to the people.