KUALA LUMPUR — Any complaints against registered journalists and media organisations must first be referred to the Malaysia Media Council (MMM) before any further action is taken, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said today.
Anwar said the mechanism was introduced to ensure complaints involving the media are reviewed fairly and transparently, preventing journalists from being subjected to investigations or prosecution without proper scrutiny.
“Journalists should not be easily subjected to action simply because a complaint has been lodged by any party.
“The Malaysia Media Council will serve as the initial review mechanism before any action is taken,” he said during Prime Minister’s Question Time in the Dewan Rakyat today.
He said the council provides an avenue to manage complaints involving registered media organisations while ensuring media freedom continues to operate within the boundaries of the law.
“There is no law anywhere in the world that gives the media absolute freedom to say whatever they want. The Prime Minister and media practitioners are still bound by the law,” he said.
At the same time, Anwar stressed that journalists should not be easily investigated simply because their reporting involves criticism of government agencies.
“I agree that journalists should not be easily dragged into investigations in cases involving criticism of government departments,” he said.
He added that any alleged misconduct involving registered media organisations should first be assessed by the Malaysia Media Council instead of automatically leading to investigations or prosecution.
According to Anwar, the council was established to strengthen the relationship between the government and the media industry, although its jurisdiction only covers recognised media organisations and registered companies.
He clarified that the mechanism does not extend to personal opinions, political party statements or individuals who are not members of the council.
As such, journalists attached to recognised media organisations would not automatically face investigations or prosecution, as complaints must first be referred to the council for review.
Anwar described the mechanism as “a very good safeguard” that has already received Parliament’s approval.
On a separate matter, Anwar said the government continues to adopt a balanced approach in dealing with online content involving race, religion and royalty (3R), particularly where misinformation or harmful content is concerned.
Responding to a question from Ahmad Fadhli Shaari (Pasir Mas-PN) regarding allegations that Harakah Daily had published false information, Anwar said inaccurate content should first be reported to the relevant digital platform before further action is considered.
“If there is wrong information, it can be reported directly to the platform. I do not know whether it is TikTok or Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC),” he said.
He explained that while the MCMC could intervene where necessary, the final decision to remove content generally rests with the platform operators.
“We have to understand. Sometimes we expose it. As I said earlier, when I mentioned the issue of Hamas, we reported it.
“But in the early stages, TikTok did not want to delete it because, for them, it is their right — freedom of media. But I see it as Islamophobia,” he said.
Anwar said the government would continue engaging with digital platforms on content moderation instead of imposing blanket restrictions.
“That is not deleted. It is not automatic. The power lies with the platform. That is why some countries, like China, ban TikTok,” he added. — July 7, 2026