We refer to the malaysiakini report Media must adhere to journalistic ethics .
The All Women's Action Society (Awam) wishes to express its concern about the comments by Deputy Information Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi that the media should 'instil self-censorship in their reports and not to ape the Western media standards' in response to articles published by the Weekend Mail .
Ahmad Zahid was quoted as saying, 'There is freedom of the press but do not be excessive'. Awam, however, is of the opinion that it is important not to confuse media ethics with freedom of information issues.
In the case of the Weekend Mail articles, the problem is related to how the media portrays women: in exploitative, often sexualised ways that utilise damaging stereotypes. This is a problem that Awam has highlighted through letters and statements in the past but about which little has been done, both by the government and by media practitioners.
The mainstream press which Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi himself admitted practices self-censorship saw little wrong in continually harping on the late Altantuya Shaariibuu's profession as a model, focusing on her alleged affair with the unnamed political analyst.
Sensationalising the violent murder and subsequent desecration of the woman's body is unethical. It strips the victim of her dignity and feeds into the public's desire for titillation rather than making an effort to do the issue justice. This is undeniably a question of ethics, but forms only part of the complex issue of the freedom of the press.
Awam believes that a free press is crucial towards the development of a just and functional democracy. Issues concerning media ethics and sloppy reporting should be taken up by the citizens of Malaysia, especially civil society groups, who have both the right and the power to ensure a responsible press.
These problems should not be resolved through heavy-handed enforcement of various media-related laws and the shutting down of spaces for dialogue. Rather, if there is to be a drawing up of ethical guidelines for media practitioners, it should be a consultative process that involves NGOs such as women's groups.
Furthermore, Ahmad Zahid's position contradicts Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's previous calls for greater transparency and accountability. We recall that the prime minister, upon taking power in 2003, urged Malaysians to 'tell me the truth'. It was a local English daily that first brought to light irregularities within the Klang Municipal Council, particularly the appointment of members of one family as councillors and Zakaria Mat Deros' construction of a palatial mansion without proper building plans.
Clearly, there is an acute need for a courageous and intelligent press, which cannot flourish in an atmosphere where fear of punitive laws reign instead of a sense of responsibility towards the public and the truth.
Lastly, Awam rejects the suggestion that upholding press freedom is merely aping 'Western' media standards. The right to information is a universal right under Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which Malaysia is meant to uphold as a member of the UN as well as a member of its Human Rights Council - which surely should give the Malaysian government more impetus to live up to its obligations.
The writer is president, All Women's Action Society (Awam).
