Kuala Lumpur: MCA wants the Home Ministry to waive the annual renewal for printing permits imposed on newspapers as the first step towards greater reforms for the Malaysian press."There are enough laws that govern the print media. Waiving the annual renewal will certainly show the Government's commitment to the press in this country," said its President Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting in a press statement in conjunction with World Press Freedom Day on Saturday.
He added that continuous reforms in laws were necessary for the print media to remain relevant and competitive in the Internet age. In cyberspace, he said, there was no need for a permit to start a blog or a website.
"So, the pertinent question is, why is there still a need for a printing permit in Malaysia?" he asked.
Recently, Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar said he had told his officers to re-look at the annual licensing requirement for newspapers as governed under the Printing Presses and Publications Act.
Ong said in a democracy, press freedom was crucial and healthy. He acknowledged it had not been easy in Malaysia because of the complexities of a multi-racial country.
"But we must strive for greater democratic space.
Regardless of the role and medium they worked in, MCA believed journalists are committed to press freedom," he said.
