PENANG: The government must do away with the requirement for media organisations to have licences to publish newspapers and annual licences to enable them to operate printing presses.

At a forum on "Press Freedom in Malaysia" held at Universiti Sains Malaysia on Saturday in conjunction with its Journalism Week, Nexnews group managing director and group editor-in-chief Ho Kay Tat said investments to set up a newspaper were huge and anyone with the financial resources to print a newspaper should be allowed to do so, as practised in Indonesia and the Philippines.

The other panel members included PAS leader and veteran journalist and writer Ahmad Subki Abdul Latiff, Sin Chew Daily general manager (legal and corporate services) Chan May May, and Malaysiakini's editor-in-chief, Steven Gan.

"No one can simply start a newspaper or a television station as it involves a huge investment," Ho said.

"Having spent so much money to start up, who would ever want to do anything to ever risk having the organisation closed down?"

Stressing that there was no such thing as absolute press freedom, he said that in Malaysia, newspaper editors were free to choose what they want to publish.

"No one from the government sits in newsrooms to tell editors what to write. Ultimately, the respective newspapers have the freedom to publish whatever they want.

"However, they will always have to practise self-regulation as ultimately, you cannot publish just anything you want.

"You have the freedom to print, but you also have to think about your freedom after publication.

"theSun reporters are always told to go and get the stories, and I decide whether we run the stories or not.

"Even though editors do get calls from some parties not to run certain stories, the decision to run or not to run any story is entirely up to the respective newspaper organisation."

Ahmad Subki said Malaysians have themselves to blame for the state of affairs of the Malaysian media.

"If the people themselves do not want press freedom, the government would be stupid to give it to them. Malaysians themselves should feel independent and sovereign, but they just don't care whether the media is free or not," he said.

"All mainstream newspapers started off as business ventures, and only later were acquired by political parties.

"The situation these days is such that if you don't follow what the government wants, you won't be able to publish the next day."

He reiterated Ho's call for the abolishment of licences to publish newspapers and also the annual licences for printing machines which, he said, was tantamount to the government holding newspapers to ransom.

Chan delved on the legislation requiring the yearly renewal of licences which newspaper organisation had to put up with.

She said that with over RM60 million to RM70 million worth of investments in machines, newspapers have to live with the fear that if they do not toe the line, their investments can go down the drain Ð anytime the government is not happy with the reports published their licences can be revoked.

"We, too, do get calls on certain stories and sometimes we have to think about the consequences of publishing certain stories," she said.

"It is not just about writing and publishing and not caring about the consequences of our actions, we have to think about the 1,900 employees who have to put food on the table for their families.

"Even though the present government is tolerant, there is no absolute press freedom as the legislation is still in place.

"However, the government must accept the fact that these days, information is flowing freely and can no longer be contained, for instance, the recent demonstrations at the KLCC against the petrol hike which some reported and others did not.

"Such stories should be published and not covered up. The people should be allowed to discern and decide for themselves.

"So the question is whether or not there is a need for the numerous legislature to curb press freedom.

"We should be allowed to be self-regulatory, as we can report responsibly and then we can see the difference."

Gan said that while the authorities would argue that journalists want absolute freedom, it was not true.

He said: "We do not believe in absolute freedom as that is not what journalism is about.

"It is about being responsible for what we write not only in Malaysia but even in the West where there is much more freedom to express.

"The media will provide the check and balance in the system, by asking the necessary questions.

"The politicians say we are not elected by the people and hence do not need to do so, but while politicians only face their constituents every five years, we face ours everyday.

"Even Malaysiakini editors practise self-censorship, and remind themselves daily of the importance to do so."

According to him, there is no doubt the different media Ð whether they are linked to some party or owned by another - have their own agenda which reflects the political ideology of their owners.

"Malaysiakini's agenda is to fight for the numerous issues, including press freedom, and also to root for inter-racial and inter-religious dialogues," said Gan.

He stressed the need for others to speak out and be allowed to speak, as only then, will there be a ripple effect.