Malaysia, Indonesia Forge Stronger Media Ties Through MMM-Press Council Collaboration

BANTEN, Indonesia: Malaysia is set to strengthen its media cooperation with Indonesia through collaboration between the newly established Malaysia Media Council (MMC) and Indonesia’s Press Council, officials said.

Deputy Communications Minister Teo Nie Ching highlighted that Indonesia’s Press Council, with over five decades of experience, has played a key role in upholding journalistic standards and professional ethics in the country.

“The establishment of the MMM presents an opportunity for Malaysia to learn from the Press Council’s experience, while fostering closer collaboration between our institutions,” Teo said during a dialogue session with Indonesian editors-in-chief and representatives of the Ikatan Setiakawan Wartawan Indonesia-Malaysia (ISWAMI) in Banten today.

She added that the collaboration aims to promote ethical, transparent, and effective journalism while supporting the development of a sustainable, professional, and community-focused media industry in both countries.

Also present were Bernama CEO Datin Paduka Nur-ul Afida Kamaludin; editor-in-chief Arul Rajoo Durar Raj, RTM Deputy Director-General (Strategic) Hamzah Ishak; and ISWAMI Malaysia President Datuk Ahmad Zaini Kamaruzzaman.

Established in June 2025, the MMM functions as an independent self-regulatory body dedicated to strengthening journalistic ethics, ensuring responsible press freedom, and providing a transparent public complaints mechanism.

Teo also highlighted Malaysia’s recently announced Media Innovation Fund of RM30 million, designed to help local media organizations adapt to digital transformation and changes in advertising dominated by global platforms such as Google and Meta. “The fund is not intended to influence editorial coverage but to enable local media to transform operations, leverage technologies including AI, and continue delivering quality content,” she said.

On media welfare, she noted the government’s Tabung Kasih@HAWANA initiative through Bernama, which has benefited 632 recipients since its launch in 2023.

Teo also extended an invitation to Indonesian editors-in-chief to attend Malaysian National Journalists’ Day (HAWANA) 2026, scheduled for June 13 in Penang.