MCMC, you’re out of line – The Sun
Llew-Ann Phang and Pauline Puah

KUALA LUMPUR (July 3, 2007): The Energy, Water and Communications Ministry has withdrawn the letter by the Malaysian Communication and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) which requested a private television station to stop screening speeches by opposition leaders.

Its minister Datuk Seri Dr Lim Keng Yaik said the move by the MCMC was not in line with government policy.

In the June 7 letter to some TV stations, MCMC chairman Datuk Dr Halim Shafie noted that Òseveral private television and radio stations have been airing speeches by opposition party leaders’ and requested the station to stop such acts. The letter drew ire and criticisms.

Lim said in Parliament House lobby today he was out of the country at the time of the incident, and was not familiar with the issue until the opposition parties brought it up in Parliament.

’However, I promised to investigate the matter. Maybe the MCMC thought it was not right of the television station to air the views of the Opposition.’

Lim said there might have been a misconception on this matter, as ‘proceedings in Parliament were not channelled directly from the House through the television stations’.

Currently, some television stations carry delayed recordings or snippets of parliamentary proceedings. They have set up mini studios in Parliament.

Lim said: “But that is another matter. There have been calls asking proceedings to be open to the public.”

Earlier, the Dewan Rakyat rejected an emergency motion on the matter tabled by Tan Kok Wai (DAP-Cheras).

Speaker Tan Sri Ramli Ngah Talib said there was no urgency to debate the matter as the ministry had issued a directive to withdraw the letter.

Transparency International Malaysia president Tan Sri Ramon Navaratnam, who had earlier issued a statement calling for the letter to be retracted, today commended Lim for his stand.

”Policy decisions like that should be cleared with the minister first,” he told theSun.

He hoped that internal communication and delivery in the public administrative system will be improved so that this will not recur.

The public has a right to information, which is essential for an open and transparent democracy to function meaningfully, he said.