Malaysian press laws violate social responsibility and press freedom

ABSTRACT

This study researched how Malaysian press law prevents journalists from discharging their duties. Using social responsibility theory of the press, the research highlighted how the Malaysian press law can interfere with journalists providing objective news content to the audience. This research brought to the forefront how the country’s press law adversely impacts on press freedom and thereby ethical conduct of media outlets. The study brought out various provisions of the law that are an impediment to objective news reporting and suggested the setting up of a non-governmental organisation in Malaysia to arbitrate cases against the press in order to ensure press freedom in the country.

KEYWORDS:

• Malaysia
• press law
• social responsibility
• press freedom

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Abhijit Mazumdar

Abhijit Mazumdar is an assistant professor of journalism in the Department of Communication, Journalism & PR at Park University, Parkville, Missouri (Mo.), USA. He has graduate degrees from The University of Tennessee and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He is the recipient of a FASPE Ethics Fellowship.

Arron Richard Riffle

Arron Richard Riffle is a Contracting Officer at Schriever Air Force Base in USA. He has an undergraduate degree in multimedia journalism and public relations from Park University. He is an active photographer in his community.