Malaysian media are more open now - Ahmad Shabery

Communication and Multimedia Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Shabery Cheek today chided the opposition for claims that the print and electronic media were biased.

Shabery said even Radio Televisyen Malaysia (RTM) has adopted an open concept by broadcasting Dewan Rakyat sessions live.

"The Dewan Rakyat session is aired by RTM for 90 minutes and the whole country can see and hear what Barisan Nasional or Opposition MPs speak. Such things did not happen before.

"I don't think there was such a programme when the current Permatang Pauh MP (Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim) was with the government. I don't think he would have allowed such live coverage," he said when answering a question in Dewan Rakyat, here today.

Ahmad Shabery was commenting on allegations by Nga Kor Ming (DAP-Taiping) who claimed that the freedom of media in Malaysia was limited, including RTM's reporting which was biased (government).

The minister also chided some opposition MPs or state assemblymen who prevent local media members from covering their activities, like what was reported in Penang.

Meanwhile, when answering a question from Datuk Seri Noh Omar (BN-Tanjung Karang) with regard to media freedom that has crossed 'borders' with all kinds of reporting, Ahmad Shabery said from January to August, the Malaysian Communication and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) had received 1,225 complaints about reports in social media.

However, it was identified that only 0.006 percent of the overall 19.2 million internet users had misused such facilities and freedom.

Ahmad Shabery said the situation was very much under control but added that the ministry viewed such cases seriously.

"Until August the MCMC had requested social media service providers to close 1,400 accounts on social media," he said.