KUALA LUMPUR, July 14 — The Malaysian Media Council (MMC) has welcomed the government’s decision to refer the Freedom of Information Bill 2026 to a Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) following its first reading in the Dewan Rakyat.
In a statement yesterday, the council said the referral under Standing Order 81(1) of the Dewan Rakyat Standing Orders would allow members of Parliament (MPs) from both sides of the House, along with other stakeholders, to scrutinise the Bill clause by clause.
“Legislation of this constitutional significance should not be passed without rigorous scrutiny and due deliberation, as the Freedom of Information Act will shape the relationship between the state and the public for generations,” it said.
The council said the Bill should legally guarantee the public’s right to access information held by government agencies, describing such access as an essential element of constitutional democracy and the right to freedom of speech and expression under Article 10(1)(a) of the Federal Constitution.
It said the Select Committee process provides an opportunity to ensure that the Bill adopts a presumption of maximum disclosure and includes narrowly defined exemptions that are subject to harm and public interest tests.
The council also called for existing secrecy laws and regulatory provisions to be reviewed and amended to ensure they are consistent with the proposed legislation.
As an independent statutory body established under the Malaysian Media Council Act 2025 and mandated to uphold ethical and professional standards in the media, the council said it stands ready to provide input to the Select Committee.
“The council urges the committee to engage meaningfully with media practitioners, civil society, academia and the public throughout its deliberations,” it said.
According to the council, access to information is fundamental to quality journalism as it enables journalists to investigate matters of public interest, verify official claims, expose corruption and maladministration, and counter misinformation.
“Independent journalism depends on facts, and facts depend on access to information. A strong Freedom of Information Act is therefore not only a democratic reform but also a prerequisite for the ethical, professional and accountable media that the Media Council Act 2025 seeks to promote,” it said.
Earlier, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said said the government would table a motion today to refer the Freedom of Information Bill 2026 to the PSC.
In a statement, she said the move would allow for more thorough scrutiny of the Bill through consultations with MPs and other stakeholders.
