In the forum initiated by several Malaysian journalist associations, Indonesian Press Council member Abdul Manan participated as one of the speakers, sharing information on the role and functions of the Press Council as well as Indonesia’s self-regulatory framework.
“In this forum, we exchanged information on how self-regulation works in Malaysia and what has been implemented in Indonesia,” Manan told ANTARA here on Sunday.
Indonesia, which established its independent Press Council earlier than Malaysia, shared its experience in strengthening media self-regulation mechanisms, including the journalistic code of ethics.
“Self-regulation, including the code of ethics, functions not only to improve the quality standards of news production and professional conduct, but also for protection,” he said.
Based on Indonesia’s experience, adherence to the code of ethics can serve as protection for media and journalists, for example from potential criminalization, while also preventing careless reporting.
Secretary-General of the National Union of Journalists Malaysia (NUJM), Teh Athira Yusoff, said Malaysia has only had its Media Council for the past year, known as the Malaysian Media Council (MMC). Therefore, she said Malaysia is keen to learn directly from Indonesia’s Press Council experience.
She explained that the MMC has drawn many examples from Indonesia’s Press Council, including its complaint mechanism, which has long been implemented in Indonesia to ensure that disputes over journalistic works are not immediately brought into criminal or civil court, but are instead resolved through the council.
Before MMC, disputes over journalistic works were typically reported directly to the media concerned or filed as police reports.
The Media Solidarity Festival 2026 also featured a special discussion session on environmental journalism. The panels shared their experiences and challenges in covering environmental issues, including aspects related to local economic and political dynamics.
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Translator: Rangga, Kenzu
Editor: M Razi Rahman
Copyright © ANTARA 2026
