He said the Act, which came into force today, marks a shift from government intervention to a self-regulatory framework that empowers the media to manage itself more independently.
“Complaints, grievances, dissatisfaction and any issues related to media reporting will be managed and resolved through a dispute resolution mechanism that will be developed under this Act,” he said in a Facebook post.
Syahredzan said the new legislation will also reduce reliance on legal action, such as civil suits or criminal charges, to settle media-related disputes.
“Legal actions under laws such as the Communications and Multimedia Act against media bodies and online practitioners should also be minimised,” he said.
Earlier today, communications minister Fahmi Fadzil announced the Act’s enforcement today in conjunction with National Journalists Day (Hawana), and said the founding board of the media council had been finalised.
The council will serve as an independent self-regulatory body that protects media freedom and ensures compliance with ethical journalism standards.
Syahredzan, who is also the DAP national vice-chairman, said the Act fulfils a Pakatan Harapan manifesto promise made during the 15th general election under the “Kita Boleh” campaign.
However, he said, the government’s reform agenda should not stop here.
“The government must also review laws that restrict media freedom, such as the Printing Presses and Publications Act, to ensure alignment with the freedom of expression guaranteed by the Federal Constitution,” he said.
Meanwhile, Kuching Division Journalists Association president and MMC founding board member Ronnie Teo emphasised the need for a robust support system to empower local media agencies and practitioners.
He highlighted the importance of strengthening local media, particularly in Sarawak, amid rapid technological advancements.
Gerakan Media Merdeka (Geramm) representative to the board Radzi Abdul Razak said they had championed the creation of a self-regulatory media body, which is truly free from political interference and vested interests.
He 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.”
Other board members include Borneo Post and Utusan Borneo general manager Wong Yang Yong; Daily Express editor-in-chief Sardahthisa James; Malaysiakini CEO Premesh Chandran Jeyachandran; and Astro Awani editor-in-chief Ashwad Ismail.
Also on the board are National Union of Journalists Peninsular Malaysia (NUJ) secretary-general Teh Athira Yusof; Tamil Media Association of Malaysia president S Muthameez Manan; Azmyl Yusof; Gayathry S Venkiteswaran; Celine Lim; and Terence Ooi Guan Tseng.