KUALA LUMPUR – Stringers, or freelance journalists paid per piece of work, will receive Socso contributions paid for by the Communications Ministry for one year.
Minister Fahmi Fadzil announced this today at the National Journalists’ Day (Hawana) 2024 event in Kuching, Sarawak. He noted that there are 565 media practitioners who are registered as being part-time journalists, or stringers, according to data from the Information Department.
“I am happy to announce that starting July 1, the Communications Ministry through Bernama will cover Socso contributions for all media practitioners in that category (stringers) for one year.
“This means that for the first year’s contribution, it will be fully covered by the ministry through Bernama,” Fahmi said in his speech.
On other assistance for Malaysian journalists, Fahmi said the Rahmah rebate incentive for mobile phone bills will be extended for a second year in August.
The incentive is a one-off, one-month rebate for media practitioners with postpaid plans and authorised media tags issued by the Information Department.
Fahmi also urged registered media organisations which have yet to adopt corporate rates from mobile network operators to sign up with their telco providers to enjoy the rates from July 1.
Meanwhile, acknowledging the financial challenges faced by news organisations, Fahmi said he will be meeting social media platforms next month on the issue of online advertising revenue.
He said with the proliferation of social media platforms, news media were losing their advertising earnings to these platforms.
Fahmi added that his ministry is at the final stages of implementing a media council, with an impact analysis of the Malaysian Media Council bill draft for industry players before it is tabled in Parliament in October. – May 27, 2024