SHAH ALAM: World Press Freedom Day, which is celebrated today, reminds us the importance of freedom of expression in building a democratic society. For a country that practice democracy, oppressive laws like Printing Presses and Publications Act and Official Secrets Act used to keep media in line and prevent ordinary citizens from exercising their full rights to access information, should not be allowed to remain in Malaysia.

Acknowledging that the powers to abolish such draconian laws lie with the Federal Government, the Pakatan Rakyat Government in Selangor has tried its utmost to be proactive in promoting Freedom of Information (FOI). In early 2009, the State formed a taskforce on FOI consisting of State Assemblymen and civil society.

The taskforce’s first project is to study the possibility of legislating a Freedom of Information Act. The State hopes that an act that promotes FOI in Selangor will be tabled and passed in the State Legislative Assembly end of this year.

For the Selangor chapter of World Press Freedom Day, the State Government will be organizing a public consultation themed “Freedom of Information: A Right to Reclaim” on May 19 to discuss with a cross-section of stakeholders in society on the intended FOI Act. I sincerely hope that the public will make full use of this consultation as all discussions and feedback will be collated and duly considered when the Bill is tabled.

In conjunction of this important celebration, the State Government will also be holding FOI training for its civil servants especially those dealing with members of the public at the local councilor level. This is to promote awareness among civil servants to be more responsible and to understand their role as trustees to public documents.

The State would also like to celebrate today’s event with fellow media practitioners and to them I would like to pledge the State’s support to strengthen efforts to build a media that is critical of inherited assumptions yet tolerant of alternative perspectives.

I am confident that the people in Selangor will join me in celebrating the World Press Freedom Day to recognize the importance of press freedom in sustaining democratic debate and fundamental values in Malaysia.

Thank You

TAN SRI ABDUL KHALID IBRAHIM
THE MENTERI BESAR OF SELANGOR