Malaysian Journalists Appeal for More Freedom

May 3, 2002

Y. Bhg Tan Sri Abu Talib Othman
Chairman
Human Rights Commission of Malaysia
29th Floor, Menara Tun Razak
Jalan Raja Laut
50350 Kuala Lumpur

Dear Sir,

AN APPEAL FOR INTERVENTION

Today is World Press Freedom Day. We are here today, as journalists from the traditional and new media, to urge the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia to create an enabling environment for media freedom, which is consistent with provisions in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights on freedom of expression and the right to information.

On May 3, 1999, the Minister of Home Affairs was presented with a memorandum, signed by 581 reporters and editors, which called for the repeal of the Printing Presses and Publications Act. In April 2000, the minister was presented with the signatures of another 370 journalists who had endorsed the memorandum.

In the memorandum, which is attached herewith, the journalists had suggested self-regulation, in the form of an independent media council, as an alternative to the licensing provision under the Act that has resulted in self-censorship being practised in most editorial floors.

We continue to reject statutory control of the media and we urge the Commission to intervene to ensure that any media council or media complaints commission that is set up is an independent body that does not serve to further muzzle the media.

Since the handing over of the memorandum three years ago, nothing has been done to remove the obstacles that we journalists face in the performance of our duty to provide Malaysians with accurate, timely and balanced information. We attach an update on the state of the media since 1999, listing events which show that journalism in Malaysia is still under threat.

Also, while journalists and editors in the licensed media are still forced to worry about the possibility of losing their publishing permit, those who report for the new media have been barred from attending many official functions on the grounds that they have not been accredited by the Information Ministry.

In the interests of building an informed democracy, we urge the Commission to recommend to the Government to repeal all laws, rules and regulations which restrict freedom of expression and the right to information, and that a Freedom of Information Act be put in place.

Thank you.

Inisiatif Wartawan

(Concerned Journalists from the traditional and new media)

Endorsed by:

1. Writers’ Action for Media Independence (WAMI)
2. Committee Against Takeover of Nanyang Press by MCA (CAT)
3. Centre for Independent Journalism
4. Charter 2000