KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 9 — Last weeks, media groups in Malaysia marched from Bukit Tugu to Parliament to hand over a memorandum to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

The groups, part of a coalition called The Fourth for the Fourth (404), urged the government to clarify and repeal the rumoured amendments to the Printing Presses and Publications Act 1984 (PPPA).

The coalition, which includes journalists, media organisations, and civil society groups, is concerned that the proposed changes could lead to stricter regulations on the press. These include harsher penalties, new conditions for media operations, and tighter control over digital media.

But what are rumoured proposed changes? Here is what we know so far, according to activists:

Regulation of digital media

The proposed amendments will purportedly expand the definition of “publication” to include digital and electronic content. This means online news portals, which currently don’t need a licence, could be required to follow the same rules as print media under the Home Ministry.

Currently, digital media falls under Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 (CMA), which is enforced by the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC). This law penalises online content deemed obscene, false, or offensive.

Licence renewal for media companies

Under the new proposals, media companies may need to renew their licenses every three years. This reinstates a requirement that was removed during Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s administration between 2009 and 2018.

Najib’s government had eliminated the need for annual licence renewals, but retained the power to approve or reject new applications.

Harsher penalties

The home ministry, as reported by business paper The Edge, has proposed stricter penalties for media violations. This includes:

Up to three years’ jail or fines of up to RM100,000, or both, for breaking publication permit conditions.

Existing penalties under the PPPA already cover violations like publishing fake news, possession of prohibited publications, or printing without proper identification of the printer and publisher.

Prohibition on ‘3R’ issues

The amendments are also aimed at restricting coverage of sensitive issues involving race, religion, and royalty (3R).

While the PPPA already allows the Home Ministry to ban publications deemed “prejudicial to public order, morality, or security”, the proposed changes could explicitly prohibit 3R-related content.

This includes the power to restrict or ban imported publications that touch on 3R topics.

Concerns over the CMA amendments

In addition to the PPPA amendments, media groups have expressed concerns over proposed changes to CMA, which was tabled for its first reading by Fahmi in the Dewan Rakyat.

These amendments, under review by MCMC, are viewed as a threat to digital freedoms and privacy.

Key issues include:

What has Putrajaya said so far?

Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail had in March this year claimed that there was no attempt to amend the PPPA.

However, Prime Minister Anwar has since conceded that his administration will review criticisms towards any changes to media-related laws.

Meanwhile, Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil said the proposed changes to the CMA would enhance Malaysians’ freedom of speech by clarifying overly broad provisions, including the introduction of the term “grossly offensive”.

https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2024/12/09/what-got-malaysian-press-civil-groups-so-concerned-a-look-at-putrajayas-proposed-changes-to-media-laws/158992