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The Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ) congratulates winners of the
12th General Elections and is encouraged by a stronger opposition in
Parliament, which we hope will enhance the role of the institution in
ensuring a more effective representation for the rakyat. CIJ is
especially encouraged by the election of 15 candidates representing DAP,
PAS, Parti Keadilan Rakyat and Parti Sosialis Malaysia who had pledged
their commitment to table the Freedom of Information Bill at the state
and federal levels, among other laws.

CIJ is optimistic that the general elections will be motivate not only
the Barisan Nasional but also the DAP, PAS, PKR and PSM to take the
voters’ mandate and institute reforms in the way information is
disseminated and expressed in Malaysia.

*Interpreting the results of the 12th General Elections*

The resounding defeat of the Barisan Nasional, which has been denied a
two-third majority at the Federal level, is also an indication of how
the people have rejected the propaganda spun by the mainstream media, in
particular the newspapers and television and radio stations. While the
propaganda worked in the previous general elections, especially in 1999
following the financial and political crisis that hit the country, this
time, the public rejected the messages and saw through the lies and
misleading information. It also serves to remind us that the expiry date
for non-transparent practices has long passed and its time for all
pillars of the state to take responsibility for their decisions.

*Road map for the next five years*

The reclaiming of the citizens’ rights in the electoral process should
not be taken lightly. While the political parties will spend the next
few weeks reviewing their performance, it is important to

/1. Parliament should review media and information laws/

The rejection of the messages from the media and the Barisan Nasional
advertisements is a signal that the ruling coalition has to relax its
controls over the media and get rid of the outdated, arbitrary and even
draconian control mechanisms.

Among others, we hope Parliament will provide the room to review laws
such as the Printing Presses and Publications Act, the Official Secrets
Act, Sedition Act, and the Internal Security Act. The BN front and
backbenchers should take the lead in conducting a frank and honest
assessment of their traditional hawkish approaches towards dissent, the
role of the media, expression and people’s right to assemble. The
Opposition in Parliament now has significant strength to hold the
government accountable for decisions made that affect freedom of
information and freedom of expression and demand that Parliament debates
these issues.

/2. Open decisions and greater accountability/

We have seen numerous decisions made behind closed doors and with no
public consultation or expert advice, a practice that clearly benefits
few at the expense of the common interest. CIJ has monitored trends in
political control over the media, the arbitrary decisions by the
Internal Security Ministry in “threatening” editorial independence and
other decisions to ban books and publications that are unreasonable. We
look forward to a more open

/3. Media bosses need to rethink their role/

It is also high time that the media bosses did their own review and
rethinking because of the dismal record in discharging their duties. In
other words, the mainstream media must go back to their fundamental
rationale — journalism - and not as the mouthpiece of the ruling
coalition. Editors must strive to improve the integrity of the
institution and restore public confidence in the media, which has been
severely affected by bad editorial decisions. The public deserves better
journalism and their votes against the propaganda should serve as a wake
up call to media bosses that they need to change so that they too are
not irrelevant like some of the political parties.

/4. New spaces for media and expression/

The political developments should see the opening up of spaces for local
media, pressures to reform laws that govern media and information. We
urge the new state governments to prove their worth by encouraging
community media to flourish and to be proactive in engaging state radio
and TV stations to broadcast state meetings and public discussions as
well as other public interest issues. State governments can allocate
grants and other financial support for communities to have their own
media, paving the way for more diverse and dynamic expression of
people’s views and exchange of information.

*
* The Centre for Independent Journalism, Malaysia (CIJ) aspires for a
society that is democratic, just and free, where all people enjoy free
media and the freedom to express, seek, and impart information.
Issued by

Gayathry Venkiteswaran
Executive Director