PUTRAJAYA: The cabinet has approved the Malaysian Media Council Bill to be tabled for its first reading next week, Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil said.
"The Malaysian Media Council Bill has been approved by the Cabinet for tabling in Parliament.
"We will present it in the Dewan Rakyat next week, and if time permits, it will be debated and proceed to the second reading during this session.
"If not, it has been scheduled for debate in the upcoming session. The bill is finally on track, having been approved by the Cabinet," he said after a post-cabinet meeting press conference today.
On Oct 28, Fahmi announced that the Bill would be tabled in this parliamentary session following delays as the Malaysian Productivity Council had requested a regulatory impact assessment (RIA).
It was previously reported that the Communications Ministry had submitted the draft of the Malaysian Media Council Bill to the Attorney-General's Chambers (A-GC) for final review.
In a written parliamentary reply, he said the bill was expected to be presented in the current parliamentary session, subject to cabinet approval.
Once established, the Malaysian Media Council will be responsible for developing and implementing a reporting ethics code.
This will empower the journalism profession in the country while ensuring that news reporting by the media is conducted responsibly.