KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 4 — The inaugural General Meeting (AGM) of the Malaysian Media Council (MMC) will be held this Friday to elect the governing board, marking a key milestone in establishing a self-regulatory body for the media industry in the country.
Its interim chairman C. Premesh said that the governing board to be elected will consist of representatives from media companies, media practitioners, media organisations, as well as organisations and individuals representing public interest.
"The elected board will have 12 elected members, joined by up to six appointed members and two government representatives, making a total of 20 board members, along with an appointed chairman. This new board will serve for a two-year term.
"The meeting will also discuss several important motions, including approving the Code of Ethics and Complaints Mechanism, as well as operational motions related to membership fees, allowances for the chairman and board, and the Council's budget," he said in a statement today.
The meeting is being organised by the Council's Founding Board, which was appointed by Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil in July. Under the Malaysian Media Council Act 2025, the board's mandate is to open membership, call the First General Meeting, and hold elections within six months of their appointment.
Premesh thanked all founding board members for their dedication in developing the start-up organisation and for having contributed fully on a voluntary basis without any specific funding.
He also thanked the MMC's interim secretary Faiz Mustafa, who served voluntarily, describing his experience in working with government agencies as helpful to the council in managing official processes and procedures.
Meanwhile, the government has allocated approximately RM120,000 for this year to fund membership development, the first general meeting, and related activities, and these funds were received in the last week of October.
Premesh said operational funds for the MMC office, secretariat, and activities, amounting to RM4 million, are expected to be received in the first quarter of 2026 following the approval of the new Communications Ministry’s budget presented in Parliament.
"We succeeded in setting up most of the Council's initial infrastructure, including opening a bank account, website, appointing legal advisors, developing operational procedures, and a Code of Ethics, as well as processing membership applications and arranging this General Meeting entirely through voluntary efforts.
"This reflects the high commitment and determination to make this Council a success," he said.
