CIJ yawns at govt press move, calls for real reform

No sweeping reforms upon Malaysia Day, generally for media as good as leisure of expression
Media Statement
(Sept 16, 2011)

Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ) is disappointed which Prime Minister Najib Razaks promise of sweeping approved reforms in his public residence upon a eve of Malaysia Day did not magnify to media freedom. Najibs minor concession in removing a requirement for an annual edition assent in a Printing Presses as good as Publications Act 1984 (PPPA) does not residence other infringements upon leisure of expression within a PPPA itself:

  • Under Section 5 of a PPPA, a Malaysian supervision still binds energy over permits to tell newspapers. The Home Minister has sole energy to accede to or deny applications, devaluate permits which have been issued (which according to a PMs proclamation will not have to be renewed annually), as good as set conditions before arising them. There is no recourse to judicial review of a Home Ministers decisions regarding a permits.
  • Under Section 3 of a PPPA, a Home Minister controls a licences to make use of printing presses.
  • Under Section 7 of a PPPA, a Home Ministry controls all publications (defined as books, articles, music, photographs, caricatures, reports, records etc) in a country as good as can issue bans upon those it deems undesirable.

    • The net effect is which a media, imitation in particular, will go upon to be under supervision control, as good as reporters will go upon to practise self-censorship.

    And while a Malaysian Governments support for a setting up of a self-regulatory press council in a assembly with imitation editors yesterday sounds promising, CIJ is discreet about a Najib administrations seeming about-turn which contradicts a various attempts over a years, as recent as Jul 25, 2011, to establish a state-led media council.

    The governments unreformed in front of when it comes to leisure of expressio! n is ref lected in a respo! nse to t he Malaysiakini justice challenge to a Home Ministrys rejection of a duplicate for a edition permit.

    Deputy Home Minister Abu Seman Yusop in his affidavit-in-reply filed upon Sept 12, 2011, said permits were a privilege, as good as a rejection of permits cannot be alike to rejection of a right to giveaway speech. This in front of ignores a peoples right to information, generally those who do not have Internet access as good as have been to illustrate deprived of alternative, freer media which can afford a more critical perspective.

    The Prime Minister additionally needs to clarify whether a supervision still skeleton to dilate a range of a PPPA to include online media, in strong contradiction to a much-touted joining to Internet freedom.

    Lastly, if Malaysian society as good as a media landscape is to be transformed, reforms have to be comprehensive as good as it requires major changes in a letter as good as suggestion of various laws, such as a Sedition Act 1948, as good as a Penal Code provisions for criminal defamation. It additionally requires a paradigm shift which will see broad-based reforms upon approved as good as tellurian rights, a most crucial of which is to revive judicial autonomy as good as deliver police accountability.

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    Courtesy of Bonology.com Politically Incorrect Buzz & Buzz

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