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"The union conducted a survey among its members from March to October
2003 (and) found that the members are keen for a body to regulate the professional
conduct of the media," NUJ general secretary Hong Boon How said in a statement
Tuesday.
<p>The NUJ was responding to a statement by Deputy Information Minister Datuk
Zainuddin Maidin over the weekend, calling on the union to push for the setting-up
of the MMC, which was mooted in the 1960s by a group of editors to look after
the interests of media practitioners.</p>
<p>Hong noted that the survey findings also indicated that the formation of the
body should be preceded by the amendment/repeal of several restrictive laws,
namely the Printing Presses and Publications Act, Internal Security Act, Sedition
Act and Official Secrets Act, and the introduction of an Access to Information
Act.</p>
<p>He said the NUJ sent a copy of the survey report to the Prime Minister’s Department
on May 20 last year and was still waiting for a favourable reply.</p>
<p>Hong said the original draft of the MMC was not accepted by the NUJ as its
members feared that journalists were not well represented and that the council
might impose new restrictions on the local media.</p>
<p>He claimed that the NUJ was not consulted on the MMC proposal at the drafting
stage.</p>
<p>"The union is willing to cooperate with Deputy Information Minister Datuk
Zainuddin Maidin to rework the proposed Malaysian Media Council or anybody that
can enhance the professionalism and the freedom of the local media," he
added.
Address: Wisma MTUC,10-5, Jalan USJ 9/5T, 47620 Subang Jaya,Selangor | Tel: 03-80242953 | Fax: 03-80243225 | Email: sgmtuc@gmail.com.com