MCA lauds ministry’s move towards greater press freedom - The Star

KUALA LUMPUR: The MCA supports the Home Minister's suggestion to waive the provision for newspapers to renew their printing permits annually as the first step towards greater press freedom.

“There are enough laws governing the print media. Waiving the annual renewal will certainly show the government’s commitment to the press in this country,” said president Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting in a press statement in conjunction with World Press Freedom Day today.

Thanking the media for their role in nation-building, Ong said that continuing reforms in laws were necessary for the print media to remain relevant and competitive in the Internet age.

Noting that no permit was required to start a blog or website, he said: “The pertinent question is, why (is there) still a need for a printing permit in Malaysia?”

Recently, Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar said he had told his officers to relook the annual licensing requirement for newspapers under the Printing Presses and Publications Act.

Wanting to explore other ways of managing the media, Syed Hamid's personal view was that licences should be issued only once – upon application.

[More at http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/5/3/nation/21140841&sec=nation]