Venue : Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission, Cyberjaya
Date : Thursday , 21st October 2004

Salutations:

Yang Berusaha Saudari Pengerusi Majlis Yang Berbahagia Dato' V Danapalan,

Pengerusi Suruhanjaya Komunikasi dan Multimedia Malaysia; Yang Berbahagia Proffesor Tony Lee,

Pengerusi Forum Kandugan Komunikasi dan Multimedia Malaysia,

Yang Berbahagia Dato'-Dato', Datin-Datin,

Def-def kehormat,

Para perwakilan media,

Tuan-tuan dan puan-puan yang saya hormati sekelian;

Selamat pagi dan salam sejahtera.

Content:

Terlebih dahulu, saya ingin merakamkan penghargaan dan ucapan terima kasih kepada pihak Communications and Multimedia Content Forum (CMCF) kerana sudi menjemput saya untuk melancarkan Kod kandungan serta Laman Web rasmi CMCF pada pagi ini.

Saya amat menghargai usaha proaktif CMCF serta para ahlinya dalam memperkenalkan satu Kod Kandungan atau 'Content Code' yang membolehkan mereka melakukan Kawalselia Kendiri atau "Self-Regulation".

Saya juga ingin merakamkan penghargaan kepada semua agensi dan jabatan-jabatan Kerajaan yang telah memberi input, pandangan dan sumbangan dalam penggubalan Kod Kandungan ini sehingga ianya sesuai untuk didaftarkan oleh Suruhanjaya Komunikasi dan Multimedia Malaysia. Jabatan-jabatan berkenaan termasuk Kementerian Penerangan, Kementerian Dalam Negeri, Kementerian Perumahan dan Kerajaan Tempatan, Kementerian Kesihatan, Kementerian Wanita dan Pembangunan Keluarga, Kementerian Pelajaran, Kementerian Kewangan, Jabatan Peguam Negara, Lembaga Penapisan Filem, JAKIM, FINAS dan Radio Televisyen Malaysia (RTM).

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I am really pleased to be here today to launch a milestone in the communications and multimedia industries of Malaysia. After nearly four years of deliberation, the members of the Content Forum have registered the much awaited Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission.

This piece of social regulation, developed with both the supply and demand side of the industry participating, is the first step of the process of industry participation in regulatory decision-making. I welcome the work which the Content Forum has done to develop such a co-regulatory scheme where there is a convergence of commercial, regulatory and national interest. This will be a test for industry self-regulation and self-discipline.

I believe that our citizens would benefit from having the whole communications and multimedia industry under one body and I strongly advocate one Content Code for the industry in Malaysia.

Now that the code has been registered, I would expect the interest of the industry to override the interest of individual corporations. Although for the moment it is a voluntary code, I am sure you will agree that self-discipline is better than regulatory intervention.

To ensure a uniform and coordinated content regulation amongst the public and private stations, the ministry has established a coordination committee called the "Committee on Content Monitoring of Public and Private Television and Radio Stations". This committee comprises of government departments and agencies related to content, namely, the Ministry of Information, Ministry of Home Affairs, Film Censorship Board, JAKIM, FINAS, and others will now, amongst other functions, monitor the implementation of the Content Code.

The measure of success of the self-regulatory process will be seen from the number of times the regulatory body, in this instance the Commission, intervenes. Therefore, I would like to call on all active participants in the communications and multimedia industry to join the Content forum and abide by the Code.

The Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 has provided a provision in the event that industry self-regulation does not work - whereby the Commission has the powers to make the voluntary industry code a mandatory code or it could develop its own content code for the industry to abide by.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

The role of the Ministry is to design and formulate policies that will provide the future direction for the industry. The convergent industries of telecommunication, broadcasting and computing are rapidly changing the business landscape. The scramble to move into the multimedia business is bringing with it new opportunities. We are witnessing the move form analogue to digital; wireless phones exceeding wired phones; the internet creation of a single market of 500 million consumers worldwide; 3G technology; wi-fi; the multimedia value chain being made up of networks, applications and content.

The converging industries will transform the way people live and work all over the world. It offers us an unprecedented opportunity to improve our standard of living and the quality of our lives within a time frame undreamed of before. Technological innovations and the growing impact of globalization will se the liberalizations of the industry itself.

The ministry, together with the industry, must come to an understanding of the technological directions and provide leadership in the converging multimedia sector. It is also important to consider incentives for investment and innovation. There is a need to mobilize resources towards sustained national growth. The successful convergent industry would have a high value of employment opportunities.

It must see the enhancing of quality and universality of services that is accessible, affordable and available. Of paramount importance is the consumer interest. Content development must be seen to be promoting local culture. At the same time, content must be enriching, entertaining and informative to be of value to the development of a civil society.

The national policy objectives speak of a civil society and national identity. These words together with the concept of industry self-regulation imply a certain degree of discipline, cultural and ethical norms. The regulator, the industry player and the consumer together form a civil society where behaviour is expected to be in the interest of the nation.

The Content Code has adopted as its objectives Section 205 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998. The overriding purpose of the Content Code is to recommend guidelines through self-regulation by the industry in a practical and commercially feasible manner and to at the same time foster, promote and encourage the growth and development of the industry.

The Content Code will ensure effective self-regulation of the development, production and dissemination of content by promoting adherence to community standards by content applications service providers. It will empower users of content to make an informed selection of the content they consume. The code may have multiple sub-codes that relate to a particular matter, a particular type of content applications service provider and/or a particular matter for a particular type of content application service provider.

The Content Forum will ensure compliances through a regular process of monitoring. Although the Content Code sets the standard, it will be the Content Forum that will take the steps to ensure the growth and development of content applications and services that represents Malaysia culture and national identity.

Their members must ensure that there is widespread availability of content applications services reflecting Malaysia's cultural diversity. The forum should consider the development of a sustainable and innovative content production industry and, in the long run, look into the export potential of Malaysian content applications services.

The Content Forum has its task cut out for them. They will have to promote systems to help make people make informed decisions about what they and their children hear and see and they have a duty to promote media literacy.

I must congratulate Prof Tony Lee, the Chairman of the Content Forum and his erstwhile council members who together with much perseverance and unity drafted the Content Code. Prof Tony Lee, who has been heading the Content Forum from the first initiative, must be complimented for his dedication in ensuring that the Content Code saw the light of day. He spent so much of his time voluntarily in the interest of the industry and the nation. The gratitude of the industry is on the record.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I am also here to help launch the content forum's website. This will be their window to the world. The CMA 98 lays down that a function of the Communications and Multimedia Commission is to encourage and promote self-regulation in the communications and multimedia industry. The new regulatory regime is in so many ways different from the regime it replaced. The commission will be forward looking, motivating the industry and promoting change. They will ensure the active participation of the industry in the self-regulatory regime.

The Content Forum and the Communications and Multimedia Commission have worked closely building on the bedrock of the general protections provided in law, to establish a high level set of principles and objectives for self-regulation of content across all networked electronic communications. The augurs well for the regulator and the industry. I hope we will continue to build on this working relationship to ensure the success of the industry and the protection of our consumers.

Tuan-tuan dan Puan-puan sekelian,

Saya ingin mengambil kesempatan ini untuk menyeru semua pihak agar bersama-sama berusaha dan bekerjasama agar Kod Kandungan yang diperkenalkan oleh CMCF ini akan mencapai matlamatnya.

Saya sekali lagi merakamkan ucapan terima ksih kepada CMCF yang sudi menjemput saya untuk melancarkan Kod Kandungan serta Laman Web rasmi CMCF pada pagi ini.

Dengan kata-kata itu, saya dengan rasminya melancarkan Kod Kandungan dan Laman Web Communications and Multimedia Content Forum.

Terima Kasih