The mainstream media in Malaysia should participate actively in local programmes for World Press Freedom day tomorrow towards the realisation of a more democratic way of life, said an opposition leader today.

"Let them start by celebrating World Press Freedom Day on a big and grand scale every year as an important milestone to establish a free, independent, responsible and pluralistic press in Malaysia," said DAP chairman Lim Kit Siang.

"Malaysians, however, should mark World Press Freedom Day tomorrow as 'Malaysia Unfree Press Day' as a reminder of our need to establish independent media," Lim added.

He also urged the mainstream media to support calls for a freer press while at the same time casting away its practice of self censorship.

"It is time mainstream media editors and owners reclaim their journalistic conscience and join working journalists in fighting for more press freedom and less self censorship - be it government or self- imposed," Lim said.

He also noted that the local mainstream media were 'ashamed' of World Press Freedom day adding this could be the reason why the event "was considered an underground affair".

"The mainstream media seems ashamed of the World Press Freedom day and talks and functions in conjunction with it are marginalised or relegated to 'underground' status," said Lim.

"All is not lost, however, as with the advent of the Internet, there is growing awareness among people of the lack of press freedom in the country," he added.

Press forums

Meanwhile, the Asian Institute for Development Communications (Aidcom) and local Chinese language daily Sin Chew Jit Poh are organising forums in conjunction with World Press Freedom Day tomorrow.

Aidcom, together with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco), the National Press Club and the Malaysian Press Institute will hold a discussion panel on 'Press freedom at the crossroads' in Kuala Lumpur tomorrow at Aidcom's premises in Jalan Duta at 9.30am.

The scheduled panelists are Human Rights Commission (Suhakam) commissioner Mehrun Siraj, the group editor of the Sarawak Tribune Toman Mamora, president of the National Press Club Zainon Ahmad and the Sun's executive editor R Nadeswaran.

Sin Chew Jit Poh's forum is at 7.30pm at its headquarters in Petaling Jaya and the organisers have invited United Nations Special Rapporteur on Judicial Independence Param Cumaraswamy, Megatrends Asia director Foong Wai Fong and veteran journalist Said Zahari. The moderator is Sin Chew Jit Poh columnist James Wong.