Today is World Press Day, but those working in the Fourth Estate in Malaysia don't have much to shout about. Quietly I celebrate for I have found a new outlet, via Blogging.
A month and eighteen days into it, I'm still enjoying the journey, as earlieir fellow travellers like Mack Zulkifli and Jeff Ooi assured new Bloggers they would. I'm also blessed as on the sunrise days of this (ad)venture, I found a companion who has often exchanged conversations with me so that we have ideas posting on the shared gems leading onto refined jewels.
I'll reflect on some sombre issues on this important day, with another voice added to the media fratenity that the Government do away with the Printing Presses and Publications Act 1984. I believe we do have a responsible citizenry who know how to toe the lines of civil behaviour and generally lead a moral life, respect each other's civil and religious rights.
Former PM Dr Mahathir Mohamad brought Malaysia into the cutting edge of technology with the Multi-Supercorridor (MSC) and in the last decade online publications flourished with his government's pledge that there would be no censorship of content on the Internet, except there was the same binding legilative provisions (which are quite universally accepted) for defamation, sedition and other offences governing the conduct of civil society.
However, there was no commensurate relaxation of the law governing the print media, which has to meet annnual licensing requirements under the PPPA. It appears that the print media operate at a disadvantage compared with online media such as
Malaysiakini.com, which went on to attract a good number of hits and viewership, and AgendaDaily.com and HarakahDaily.com, less frequently visited.
Some mainstream media journalists rightly felt that they are hampered in discharging their tasks under severe restrictions of the PPPA, and had for the past few years petitioned the Government to abolish the Act. In fact, some groups have optimistically begun to wish for a Freedom of Information Act like the one our neighbour Thailand has enjoyed for a number of years, and of course, a celebrated norm of more advanced democracies like Australia and the United States of America.
For a start, I'd be more than happy to see the abolition of the PPPA, then move on to battle other "oppresive" Acts like the ISA and OSA, so notorious I won't even need to spell them out
I wouldn't dream of the Freedom of Information Act before we see the removal of these existing barriers!
I hope Pak Lah, now almost 1-1/2 years into his premiership, would feel confident enough that Malaysians have matured enough to self-regulate certain aspects of their public life, including the type and variety of press they wish to read and support. He wishes to see to the nurture and flowering of Towering Malaysians. This noble goal makes certain prerequisites to be present -- yes, the Desiderata of Towering Malaysians -- which to my mind, means we embrace the freedom of thoughts, the freedom of expression with incumbent responsibility, the pursuit and epromotion of intellectual and democratic discourse. I term this, the welcome and promotion of the Clash of Minds, for just as Malaysians want material progress, in tandem they aspire towards mental development and freedom of choice and direction to determine their own mental and spiritual journey.
With clear opposition by substantial numbers to the recent experiment by the Malacca 4B youth setting up their Snoop Squad, Malaysians have indicated in no uncertain terms they want minimum intrusion into their moral and religious terrains which the majority feel are best left with family and community to self-govern, of course under laws that pertain to decency and civil society.
The media fratenity deserves greater freedom to write without fear or favour. Dear Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, do you dare accept this challenge of opening up our minds, now so feathered and fettered? Say Farewell to the PPPA1984, Welcome desiderata.mindopening2005?
No comments:
Post a Comment