The National Union of Journalists (NUJ) has resolved to continue demanding the repeal of the Official Secrets Act 1972 and the Printing Presses and Publications Act 1984. It also supports enactment of a Freedom of Information law.

This was among resolutions passed at the recently-concluded NUJ Biennial Delegates Conference (BDC) on Sept 30, attended by more than 60 journalists. The NUJ has 1,400 members.

The union's national executive council was returned unopposed with Norila Mohd Daud and Hong Boon How retaining their posts as president and secretary-general respectively for a fourth term.

Contacted today, Hong said the resolution calling for the repeal of the anti-press laws was a motion that had been tabled and passed at the previous BDC.

"This time, one of the delegates wanted to add the formation of a Freedom of Information law, which we did," he said.

"We will work out a plan of action after our first exco meeting later this month. From there, we can narrow down the mechanism and move forward."

A motion to limit the tenure of NUJ's principal office bearers to a maximum of four consecutive terms within the national exco was narrowly rejected by five votes.

Learning from mistakes

Hong said the Prime Minister's Department has not responded to any of the requests and letters submitted on media-related issues, including a survey on the proposed media council.

"We have not received any response, not even an acknowledgment," he said.

He said that, after each BDC, the NUJ informs the PM's Department of the resolutions but the "replies, if any, are just too slow".

The NUJ, he said, has been trying to get an appointment with Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi through his principal private secretary Mohamed Thajudeen Abdul Wahab, but there has been no response.

"Perhaps the PM (also the Internal Security Minister) is too busy with other matters or not too keen on the media-related issues raised by journalists, but we'll keep trying," Hong said.

"We have to learn from previous failed methods on the repeal of the anti-press laws. We need to look for new strategies to get things moving."

He said the union will continue working together with non-governmental organisations, the Bar Council and media activists.

In 1999 and 2000, a two-part petition signed by 951 journalists and editors was submitted to Abdullah who was then Home Minister.

It called for repeal of the PPPA, in particular the licensing provision in return for independent self-regulation of the media.