Overhaul media laws next, PM told
Fauwaz Abdul AzizPublished: Apr 21, 2008 6:33 PM | Updated: Apr 23, 2008 2:26 PM
Having announced intended reform of the judiciary and the Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA), Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi should now look at overhauling media laws, said several Pakatan Rakyat (PR) members of Parliament.
The opposition Pakatan members of parliament want the antiquated press laws reviewed or repealed to unshackle the media and promote freedom of expression.
Having announced intended reform of the judiciary and the Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA), Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi should now look at overhauling media laws, said several Pakatan Rakyat (PR) members of Parliament.
At a press conference held at DAP’s Damansara Service Centre, they said the government’s move to loosen its publications licensing regime by allowing opposition PKR to publish its Suara Keadilan party organ and the apparent openness to bloggers are laudable.
However, the decision to revoke Tamil newspaper Makkal Osai’s publishing permit for reasons still not specified, illustrates the need for a complete overhaul of media-related laws, they said.
“Information is cardinal to the practice of democracy... and it is this information that is seen as being stifled and denied,” said PAS MP for Kuala Selangor Dr Dzulkifly Ahmad.
“We are pressing for such draconian laws (as) the PPPA (Printing Presses and Publications Act 1984) to be at least reviewed and subsequently withdrawn or amended to allow the rakyat to have access to information,” he said.
Dzulkifly said a motion will be submitted for a Freedom of Information (FOI) Bill to be debated in Parliament.
DAP MP for Petaling Jaya Utara Tony Pua described as “shocking” Home Minister Syed Hamid Albar’s announcement that Makkal Osai’s licence would not be renewed.
“He has been around the world and has seen how democracy works and we had hoped that he could bring about concrete changes,” said Pua..
“But we were absolutely shocked when he announced that the permit would not be renewed and had been withdrawn due to violation of the ministry’s guidelines. Which guidelines, we’re not sure. Until today, he has not said what those guidelines are.”
Parliamentary caucus
DAP MP for Klang Charles Santiago said the group is seeking to meet Syed Hamid within two weeks on the issue and “to communicate our concerns on the state of freedom of information and expression”.
“We feel that Makkal Osai’s application should be approved and if the ministry has any concerns, it should make its concerns open for further discussion,” he said
He said the most common question people have asked him in recent days is why the daily has been banned.
“(It is) perceived as a punishment of the Indian Malaysian community who, this time around, voted for the opposition. People are upset. This politics of vengeance has to stop, and the politics of reconciliation has to begin.”
Santiago also announced a PR initiative to start a parliamentary caucus that would press for freedom of information and freedom of expression.
With eight parliamentarians on board already, Santiago said the caucus intends to rope in more PR legislators as well as Barisan Nasional backbenchers.
DAP MP for Serdang Teo Nie Ching said a draft FOI bill has been drawn up in consultation with non-governmental organisations.
On the issue of possible publication of a newspaper in the PR-administered states of Kedah, Kelantan, Penang, Perak and Selangor, there was a slight disagreement among between DAP’s Segambut MP Lim Lip Eng and the others present.
Lim said the Selangor government should consider taking Makkal Osai under its wing so as to exempt it from the shackles of the current licensing provision in the PPPA.
Section 25 (1) of the PPPA states that provisions of the enactment do not extend to any publication by or for the federal or state government.
The other MPs, however, said such a move would not contribute towards development of a vibrant and independent media as the publication would then come under the dictates of the PR-political parties.
“It’s independence of the media - that is what we are all calling for,” said Dzulkifly.
At a press conference held at DAP’s Damansara Service Centre, they said the government’s move to loosen its publications licensing regime by allowing opposition PKR to publish its Suara Keadilan party organ and the apparent openness to bloggers are laudable.However, the decision to revoke Tamil newspaper Makkal Osai’s publishing permit for reasons still not specified, illustrates the need for a complete overhaul of media-related laws, they said.
“Information is cardinal to the practice of democracy... and it is this information that is seen as being stifled and denied,” said PAS MP for Kuala Selangor Dr Dzulkifly Ahmad.
“We are pressing for such draconian laws (as) the PPPA (Printing Presses and Publications Act 1984) to be at least reviewed and subsequently withdrawn or amended to allow the rakyat to have access to information,” he said.
Dzulkifly said a motion will be submitted for a Freedom of Information (FOI) Bill to be debated in Parliament.
DAP MP for Petaling Jaya Utara Tony Pua described as “shocking” Home Minister Syed Hamid Albar’s announcement that Makkal Osai’s licence would not be renewed. “He has been around the world and has seen how democracy works and we had hoped that he could bring about concrete changes,” said Pua..
“But we were absolutely shocked when he announced that the permit would not be renewed and had been withdrawn due to violation of the ministry’s guidelines. Which guidelines, we’re not sure. Until today, he has not said what those guidelines are.”
Parliamentary caucus
DAP MP for Klang Charles Santiago said the group is seeking to meet Syed Hamid within two weeks on the issue and “to communicate our concerns on the state of freedom of information and expression”.
“We feel that Makkal Osai’s application should be approved and if the ministry has any concerns, it should make its concerns open for further discussion,” he said
He said the most common question people have asked him in recent days is why the daily has been banned.
“(It is) perceived as a punishment of the Indian Malaysian community who, this time around, voted for the opposition. People are upset. This politics of vengeance has to stop, and the politics of reconciliation has to begin.”Santiago also announced a PR initiative to start a parliamentary caucus that would press for freedom of information and freedom of expression.
With eight parliamentarians on board already, Santiago said the caucus intends to rope in more PR legislators as well as Barisan Nasional backbenchers.
DAP MP for Serdang Teo Nie Ching said a draft FOI bill has been drawn up in consultation with non-governmental organisations.
On the issue of possible publication of a newspaper in the PR-administered states of Kedah, Kelantan, Penang, Perak and Selangor, there was a slight disagreement among between DAP’s Segambut MP Lim Lip Eng and the others present.
Lim said the Selangor government should consider taking Makkal Osai under its wing so as to exempt it from the shackles of the current licensing provision in the PPPA. Section 25 (1) of the PPPA states that provisions of the enactment do not extend to any publication by or for the federal or state government.
The other MPs, however, said such a move would not contribute towards development of a vibrant and independent media as the publication would then come under the dictates of the PR-political parties.
“It’s independence of the media - that is what we are all calling for,” said Dzulkifly.
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