Malaysia Media Council to boost inclusive media growth

KUALA LUMPUR: The establishment of the Malaysian Media Council (MMC) is expected to support and develop the media industry across Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah, and Sarawak, ensuring inclusive and equitable growth for all regions.
Kuching Division Journalists Association president and MMC founding board member, Ronnie Teo Teck Wei, expressed this hope, emphasising the need for a robust support system to empower local media agencies and practitioners.
'It is an honour to be part of this founding board for the Malaysia Media Council, representing Sarawak.
'It is my hope that, with the MMC, we can support and develop the media industry across Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah and Sarawak, ensuring inclusive and equitable growth for all regions,' he told Bernama, today.
He highlighted the importance of strengthening local media, particularly in Sarawak, amid rapid technological advancements.
'We need to act as a key support system for local media agencies and practitioners, especially in Sarawak, to help the industry thrive amid rapid technological advancements.
'It is also crucial for caring for the welfare of media workers, and holding media owners accountable for fair labour practices and ethical reporting,' he said.
Meanwhile, Gerakan Media Merdeka (GERAMM) representative to the board, Mohd Radzi Abdul Razak, expressed his gratitude for the trust placed in him to serve as a board member of the MMC.
He said that the establishment of the council marked a significant milestone in the long-term effort to strengthen Malaysia's media ecosystem, to be more independent, accountable, and professional.
'For over a decade, GERAMM, alongside fellow media practitioners, has championed the creation of a self-regulatory body, which is truly free from political interference and vested interests,' he said.
'My appointment to the founding board is a responsibility to uphold the original spirit of the struggle, and to carry it forward in shaping the policies, guidelines and frameworks of the MMC,' he said.
Mohd Radzi reaffirmed his commitment to ensuring that the council operates independently, fairly and transparently, in regulating the media industry.
'I welcome input and suggestions from all stakeholders, so that MMC can truly function as a respected, independent and trusted body,' he added.
The list of the founding board members of the MMC was announced by Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil during the HAWANA 2025 main celebration, officiated by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim at the World Trade Centre Kuala Lumpur (WTCKL), today.
Besides Teo and Mohd Radzi, other board members include Borneo Post and Utusan Borneo general manager Wong Yang Yong; Daily Express editor-in-chief Datuk Sardahthisa James; Malaysiakini chief executive officer Premesh Chandran Jeyachandran; and Astro Awani editor-in-chief Ashwad Ismail.
Also appointed to the board are National Union of Journalists Peninsular Malaysia (NUJ) secretary-general Teh Athira Mohamed Yusof; Tamil Media Association of Malaysia president S. Muthameez Manan; Mohd Azmyl Md Yusof; Gayathry S. Venkiteswaran; Celine Lim; and Terence Ooi Guan Tseng.

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It may also recommend reforms to laws such as the Printing Presses and Publications Act (PPPA) and the Official Secrets Act (OSA) as critics have cited these laws as obstacles to good investigative journalism in the country. At the HAWANA forum last Saturday, members of the panel discussion on 'Malaysian Media Council: Regulator or Media Protector?' told the audience that the MMC would support the passage of new legislation, such as the Freedom of Information Act (FOI). "We've called for a Freedom of Information Act so that journalists can petition the government to reveal information,' Premesh Chandran, former chairman of the MMC pro tem committee, told Bernama later. Calls to reform or repeal laws such as PPPA and OSA have intensified alongside the MMC's launch. During the forum, Wathshlah G. 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