Cabinet Gives Nod To Malaysian Media Council Bill To Be Tabled In Parliament Next Week

PUTRAJAYA, Dec 6 (Bernama) -- The Cabinet today gave the nod for the Malaysian Media Council Bill to be tabled in Parliament next week, according to Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil.

Fahmi, who is also the Unity Government spokesperson, said it is indeed good news for the media fraternity.

“The Malaysian Media Council Bill has been approved by the Cabinet to be brought to Parliament. So, we will table it in Dewan Rakyat next week. If time permits, it will also be tabled for second reading and debated during this current sitting.

“If not, the bill has also been listed for debate in the next (Parliament) session. So, it’s on track finally,” he told a press conference here today.

On May 27, Fahmi reportedly said that the Communications Ministry was in the final phase of realising the proposed establishment of the Malaysian Media Council which will function as a regulatory body to safeguard the interests of the media industry and practitioners.

The establishment of the Malaysian Media Council is aimed at developing and implementing a code of ethics for reporting that will empower the country's journalism profession and ensure that news reporting by the media is conducted responsibly.

Meanwhile, when asked whether the Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) report on the handling of sovereignty issues involving Batu Puteh (Pedra Branca), Middle Rocks, and South Ledge was discussed in the Cabinet meeting, Fahmi said, “Not specifically.”

However, he said the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said informed the Cabinet that the RCI report will be tabled for debate in Parliament, sometime next week.

“So, the Members of Parliament will debate the RCI report (next week). Even the Prime Minister had commented on this earlier, saying that the report has also revealed elements of betrayal,” he said.

The RCI report was distributed to all Members of Parliament yesterday.

It was reported that the RCI, through the 217-page report, recommended that a criminal investigation be initiated against former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad under Section 415(b) and Section 418 of the Penal Code.

-- BERNAMA