Barisan Nasional Govt is Running Scared: State-owned and Private Radio & TV Stations Instructed NOT to Broadcast Opposition Leaders' Speeches

UPDATE: 3rd July

The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) has been ordered by Energy, Water and Communications Minister Dr Lim Keng Yaik to WITHDRAW its directive barring privately owned television stations from airing speeches by opposition leaders.

“I wrote a letter to MCMC on Tuesday instructing the commission to withdraw its directive with immediate effect,” Energy, Water and Communications Minister Dr Lim Keng Yaik told reporters in the Parliament lobby today.

Lim said he did not know of the directive as he was overseas and found out about it after reading it in the newspapers. Read here for more

End of update

From Malaysiakini: Read here for more

Quote:

“The Government has noted that several private TV and radio stations have been airing speeches by Opposition Party leaders.

Your station is requested NOT to broadcast such speeches in future.”
- Dr Halim Shafie, MCMC chairman

Letter from Secretary-General, Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC)to Privately-Owned Radio and TV Stations
Excerpts from article in Malaysiakini: Read here for more

Malaysiakini has obtained a copy of the letter from the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) ordering ALL PRIVATE TV and radio stations to STOP airing speeches by Opposition Party leaders. [See original letter]

“The government has noted that several private TV and radio stations have been airing speeches by opposition party leaders,” wrote MCMC chairman Dr Halim Shafie in the June 7 letter.

“Your station is requested not to broadcast such speeches in future.”

The one-page letter added that the directive should be implemented IMMEDIATELY.

The letter was carbon-copied to Energy, Water and Communications Ministry’s secretary general Dr Halim Man.

It’s an open secret that the government issues directives to state-owned television and radio stations to black out the opposition.

But it now appears that private stations also receive similar directives.

MCMC, a government agency under the Energy, Water and Communications Ministry, is empowered to regulate matters relating to communications and multimedia activities, including private TV and radio stations as well as Internet websites.

The licencing of private TV and radio stations comes under its purview. (Read here the legislation on licencing)