Put more bite into media reforms – CIJ

(Malaysian Mirror) – The government should set up a multi-party parliamentary select committee on media law reforms if it is serious about improving press freedom, says the Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ).

The committee would collect public feedback and consultations as part of efforts to repeal restrictive laws and regulations affecting freedom of information, it said.

It said no further action had been taken since Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein announced in June that various restrictive laws would be reviewed.

Meanwhile, the government continued to resist openness such as when it defended the recent cowhead protesters in Shah Alam, said the CIJ.

Press freedom up – marginally

Key issues such as corruption and good governance were deliberately given a racial or religious spin so as to make discussions illegal and dangerous, it added.

Malaysia had improved its ranking from 132 last year to 131 in the latest Reporters Without Borders Press Freedom Index but “it is still low and indicative of the lack of progress in translating rhetoric to concrete reform measures.”

Without greater openness, all talk by the government about achieving greater national unity through its 1Malaysia plan would lack credibility, it said in urging the government to exercise the political for needed reforms.