In a statement, the council said the board’s 12 elected members will be joined by up to six appointed members and two government representatives, forming a 20-member board with an appointed chairman.

The new board will serve a two-year term.

The council said Friday’s meeting, organised by its founding board, will consider key resolutions, including the adoption of a code of conduct and grievance mechanism, as well as operational resolutions concerning council budget, membership fees, and allowances for the chairman and board.

Interim board chairman Premesh Chandran thanked all the founding board members, appointed by communications minister Fahmi Fadzil in July, for their voluntary contributions to the council.

The council noted that for 2025, it received a government allocation of just over RM120,000, limited to funding membership development, the first general meeting, and related activities.

It said RM4 million in operating funds for the council’s office, secretariat and activities was expected in the first quarter of 2026, following the approval of the communications ministry’s budget recently tabled in Parliament.

“We have managed to process membership applications, set up much of the council’s initial infrastructure, including a bank account, website, legal advisers, operating procedures, and a code of conduct, and organise this general meeting purely through volunteer effort.

“This reflects the strong commitment and drive to make the council a success,” said Premesh.

Among others, the council will next focus on media law reform, including the removal of licensing requirements for print media, the passage of a Freedom of Information Act, and reforms to the Communications and Multimedia Act.

It will also focus on media literacy, promoting critical thinking and resilience against misinformation among students, and supporting fact-checking initiatives.