KOTA BARU: Malaysia needs a special Act to protect media practitioners and their sources.
Selangor International Islamic University College (KUIS)’s Communications (Broadcasting) lecturer Md Rozalafri Johari said the new Act should provide immunity and to ensure the safety of the media practitioners while gathering news as well as protecting their sources.
“The government needs to view journalists as important assets as they have valuable information not only to the news agencies they represented but also towards the country as any information accidentally leaked to other parties, can pose danger to national security,” he said when contacted by Bernama.
He said among aspects need to be addressed when formulating the Act were to provide protection to media practitioners as well as to ensure the safety of their families and community (sources).
“The existing Act restricts the freedom of journalists in reporting news and because of the absence of such specific laws, they are exposed to various risks including the threat of murder, while seeking credible information,” he said. — Bernama
