After being intensely grilled by journalists over his intention to set up a press council, Kota Baru MP Zaid Ibrahim is receiving a tongue lashing from several of the country's top media practitioners as well.

For instance, Brendan Pereira - group editor of the nation's longest running English daily, New Straits Times - considered Zaid's proposal as a mere device to tighten the screws on press freedom.

"It is his private initiative which he is entitled to, but I think from my little reading of it, it is just another tier to the existing rules (meant to control the press)," said Pereira when contacted.

Asked if he would lend the maverick MP his support, Pereira said that there was no part of Zaid's proposal worthy of his support, adding that he was speaking in his personal capacity and that he was uncertain of his newspaper's position on the matter.

On Thursday, Zaid announced his plan to push for the formation of a press council through Parliament, prompting a barrage of probing questions from journalists during a press conference over his position.

Zaid however did not touch on the Printing Press and Publications Act (PPPA), a law which journalist groups have long demanded be reviewed, in particular clauses pertaining to licensing provisions.

'Good of him but...'

Pereira felt that Zaid's omission of the PPPA would not make any difference to journalists as he feels that the regulations are here to stay.

"To be fair to Datuk Zaid, he has been interested in this issue for some time [...] good of him, but I don't think many journalists would support (his proposal)," he said.

Zaid has argued that the press council was necessary to manage the 'greater freedom' to the press allowed by the present administration, to which Pereira disagreed.

"I think the media organisations and the journalists themselves know what to write and how to write it. We have operated in this country long enough. We don't simply jump on other people's sensitivity. I don't think we need a media council for this," he added.

Protecting the politicians?

Executive editor of Chinese daily Oriental Daily News Eng King Sia felt that the prerequisite for a press council would have to be the review of the PPPA.

"I welcome any move to form a press council. But convince us that it will not be just another official organ to tighten control of the press," he said.

Should the PPPA not be relaxed, a press council cannot compliment efforts for greater media freedom, said Eng.

National Union of Journalists (NUJ) president Norila Mohd Daud branded Zaid's proposal as one meant to "protect politicians only", but conceded that it was the latter's freedom to do so.

"In a way he is trying to create another body that everybody can lodge their complaint," she said over Zaid's remark that public could seek redress from the council over unfair news reporting.

"At the moment, the PPPA is overseeing all the freedom already, why he needs such media council to 'see' some more, the media council should instead accelerate the freedom," stressed Norila.

Norila said that complaints against "unfair" reporting can be dealt with the media organisations directly.

"But then unfairness can be a subjective issue," she added.

Zaid was also took to task for failing to consult journalist organisations such has the NUJ and the Malaysian Press Institute.

"He should respect the profession and organised bodies represent the media," said Norila.

Understand the concept first

Commenting on the same issue, Inisiatif Wartawan (Journalist's Initiative) coordinator Padmaja Padman described the contradictions in Zaid's statements as "baffling".

She was referring to Zaid's earlier stance over the China Press incident, in which he had expressed empathy with the media over penalties that are disproportionate to the offence.

Padmaja said as a legislator, Zaid should be aware that controls over media already exist through laws like the PPPA, Official Secrets Act, Sedition Act, Internal Security Act and defamation law.

"The arbitrary nature and application of the provisions in all of these, except defamation law, prevents the media from offering any defence if hauled up," she said in an e-mail response.

She advised those who seek a media council should first understand the universal concept of self-regulation, which encompasses a voluntary - often binding - industry initiative to keep a check on the excesses of members.

"The move can never be as effective if imposed from the outside, as proposed not just by Zaid but by other do-gooders who seem bent on delivering the media into the clutches of either the government or Parliament or both," she said.

"Self-regulation can only exist in a situation where the media is not regulated - that is, in a free-market environment. Why would further regulation be necessary in a situation where the media is already over-regulated, as in Malaysia?" Padmaja asked.