KUALA PILAH, Dec 15 — The Cabinet has agreed in principle to establish the Malaysian Media Council (MMC), says Deputy Communications and Multimedia Minister Eddin Syazlee Shith.

He said he would be chairing the first meeting to discuss the framework of establishing the council next week, with eight representatives from the media.

“In principle, the Cabinet has recently agreed to the establishment of the MMC and this first meeting is more focused on the framework of its establishment. This is a very positive and healthy development.

“The establishment of the MMC is to secure the future and safeguard the welfare of the media practitioners in the country,” the Kuala Pilah MP told reporters after closing ‘Pesta Bola Ngoca 2019’ in Empang Bangkung, Juasseh, here.

The MMC has been proposed as a self-regulatory body that can set high standards for the media community to help build and maintain public confidence in the industry and to act as an arbitration body between the people and the media for the benefit of all Malaysians.

In another development, he warned parties against causing unnecessary worry among the public by circulating inaccurate information on social media about the current flood situation affecting Johor, Pahang and Melaka.

“This will make it difficult for the authorities to take action in relation to the flood situation. Those who are spreading false news will be dealt with according to the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 or the Penal Code, and we will ensure that they will not get away with it.

“The public is advised to keep abreast with the news released by official government media such as Bernama and RTM which provide accurate and reliable reports. On the information available on social media out there, my advice is not to blindly believe it,” he said.

Earlier during the programme, the Negeri Sembilan Fire and Rescue Department team emerged winners of the paddy field football competition, taking home an RM10,000 cash prize, while the DBKL Veterans from Kuala Lumpur finished runners-up for RM7,000 and Baling FC, Kedah came in third for RM5,000. — Bernama