Media Quote
17 December 2024
Responding to the passing of amendments to the Communications and Multimedia Act (CMA) 1998 and the Online Safety Act 2024 at the Dewan Negara last week, Amnesty International Malaysia’s Freedom of Expression Campaigner, Kiran Kaur, said:
“It is deeply disappointing that the the government has broken its general election promise to repeal draconian laws restricting freedom of expression and has chosen to bulldoze the CMA 1998 amendments and the Online Safety Act 2024 through Parliament. Instead of protecting free speech, these laws expand the government’s powers to regulate content arbitrarily and to further curtail expression in Malaysia, disregarding widespread public and civil society concerns.”
“While it is positive that the passage of the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (Amendment) Bill 2024 was postponed during this parliamentary session, delaying it alone is insufficient. The government should conduct comprehensive and meaningful consultations with civil society and the public to ensure that future legislation strengthens, rather than undermines, freedom of expression. We urge the government to prioritize transparency and accountability in shaping laws that respect and uphold human rights,” said Kiran Kaur.
Responding to the first reading of the Malaysian Media Council Bill 2024, Kiran Kaur said:
“We welcome the introduction of the Malaysian Media Council Bill in Parliament, as it represents a significant step towards safeguarding media freedom in Malaysia. We commend the government for introducing this progressive institution and urge its swift and constructive passage into law. At the same time, we call on the government to uphold its broader promise to repeal laws that unjustly stifle freedom of expression, and immediately end the passage of laws that undermine it.”
Background
The third session of 15th Parliament ended on 12 December 2024 and among the bills that were passed during this session were the Communications and Multimedia (Amendment) Bill 2024 and the Online Safety Bill 2024.
The Malaysian Media Council Bill 2024 which aims to establish a self-regulatory body was also tabled for its first reading during this latest parliamentary session. Deputy Minister of Communications Teo Nie Ching, who tabled the bill, said that it would be tabled for a second reading at the next Dewan Rakyat meeting.
Meanwhile, the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (Amendment) Bill 2024 has been postponed.