THE Malaysian Media Council Bill 2024 was supposed to herald a new dawn for press freedom and professional journalism in this country. Instead, even before the council is officially formed, a desperate scramble is underway.
Various self-proclaimed “journalists” and media “reformers” are aggressively angling for spots. Not out of genuine commitment to the media’s independence or ethics, but to boost their own ambitions, secure perks, and gain political clout.
Make no mistake: many of these opportunists have little or no real journalistic experience. They have never faced the pressure of tight newsroom deadlines, never chased down a controversial story, nor confronted the legal and ethical challenges that true journalism demands.
Yet here they are, repositioning themselves as media champions, trying to secure comfortable seats on the council with the promise of allowances, status, and influence. This is not reform. It is self-promotion disguised as public service.
As George Orwell famously said, “Journalism is printing what someone else does not want printed.” But many of the individuals seeking council positions seem far more interested in printing what benefits themselves or their political allies. They treat journalism as a convenient platform rather than a profession requiring courage and integrity.
The media is a demanding craft rooted in discipline, ethics, and an unwavering commitment to truth. It is not a stepping stone for those hoping to leverage media oversight into political power or personal gain. The media council, if it is to serve its purpose, must be staffed by those who understand this and who live by these principles.
We must recall the words of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim: “Freedom of the press is not a privilege; it is a right.” This is the fundamental principle the media council must protect, yet it is threatened by the very people who now seek to control it. Their presence risks turning the council from an independent watchdog into a vehicle for further politicisation of the media.
Adding insult to injury, some “media experts” and academics with no practical newsroom experience are demanding seats on the council. While scholarship and theoretical knowledge have their place, running a newsroom or practicing journalism under pressure is a different matter altogether.
The council’s composition must reflect those who have lived the realities of journalism such as reporters who’ve battled disinformation, upheld ethical lines, and stood firm against censorship and intimidation.
We cannot afford to let the media council become a cushy appointment for political hopefuls or activists who lack genuine commitment to the profession. If that happens, the council will lose all credibility. It will be seen as yet another elite body, disconnected from the struggles of journalists and the needs of the public. Worse, it will fail in its mission to safeguard media independence, protect journalists, and provide a trustworthy platform for the truth.
Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad once said, “Without a free press, there can be no democracy.” Though under his administration the free press was all but throttled, his words remind us why the stakes are so high. The media council must be a fortress protecting that freedom and not become a playground for self-serving ambitions or political jockeying.
The risks are not hypothetical. If the council is dominated by the wrong people, it could become an instrument of censorship, suppressing dissent rather than encouraging diversity of thought. The very reforms Malaysians are hoping for would be undermined by mediocrity and self-interest masquerading as progress.
Malaysia has a rare opportunity to create something meaningful. The media council can be the vehicle that lifts journalism out of years of political meddling and inadequate regulation. But this will only happen if it is built on merit, professionalism, and ethical commitment as these are the values that trump personal ambition.
It is time for genuine journalists and media professionals to step up and claim their rightful place at the table. Those who truly care about the public’s right to know must reject those who seek to hijack the council for their own benefit. We need courage and integrity, not entitlement and self-promotion.
Malaysia has a rare chance to create something meaningful. We must not squander it by filling the council with pretenders. Let us not trade one form of control for another, or worse, let mediocrity and self-interest wear the mask of reform.
Let the Malaysian Media Council be built on merit, not manipulation because the free press today will fight back and the council may end up being a purposeless joke, instead of a lighthouse. – May 25, 2025
