Press Council awaits reply from president
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The Press Council (Interim) has yet to receive a reply from the president over a letter they submitted more than 10 days ago about their objection to the printing and publishing bill.
In their seven-point complaint letter, the press council states that the bill can contradict and deter the media bill from being drafted by the council. The council was formed by the President’s Office and has been drafting the media law with agreement from the information minister.
“They [the President’s Office] themselves formed the Press Council. Also, the information minister himself told the press council to redraft the media law. Now, they have tricked us and submitted the printing and publishing bill to Parliament after drafting it in a rush.
“This seems to overstep the authority [of the press council],” a member of the press council, who requested not to be named, said.
“The Press Council was formed under the arrangement of the President’s Office, in cooperation with the Information Ministry, so they have the responsibility. So far, they still haven’t replied our letter of objection. I feel that both the president and the Information Minister are not gentlemen,” he added.
On August 11, 2012, the government announced the formation of the Myanmar Core Press Council, but journalists, media and journalist organisations have protested against the council.
After Aung Kyi became information minister in August, he met with representatives from journalist organisations to reform the Press Core Council and draft the press media bill on September 9.
At the meeting, he told the press council to discard the former media law drafted under the administration of the previous information minister and draft a new print media law from a “zero draft”.
On September 17, 2012, the Myanmar Core Press Council was abolished and the Press Council (Interim) was reformed.
The newly reformed Press Council (Interim) held a workshop last January to invite feedback and suggestions from journalists about media ethics and the print media bill.
