PETALING JAYA: May 2, 2008
The National Union of Journalists Malaysia (NUJ) has urged the Government to drop the Official Secret Acts (OSA) and replace it with an Information Act.
In a statement released in conjunction with World Press Freedom Day on Saturday, the union said that such an Act would be in keeping with Government initiatives to create a more transparent and accountable administration.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has proposed setting up a commission to appoint judges and upgrading the Anti-Corruption Agency into a commission.
"These objectives of achieving good governance, transparency and integrity are not going to happen if access to information is still not possible for investigative journalism to be carried out," said NUJ president Norila Mohd Daud.
"The OSA has been the main obstacle in allowing media access to Government information.
"The credibility and sincerity of the Government can only be proven if there is easy access to information for the media and public," she said in the statement released on Friday.
Norila also urged media owners to play their part in allowing journalists to carry out their professional duties without fear or favour.
Many mainstream media organisations have not been allowed to publish or highlight certain issues of interest to the people under the instructions of "higher ups," she said.
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