KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 28 — Two reporters from Malay Mail Online have been elected onto the board the Institute of Journalists Malaysia (IoJ), a professional body for local press workers.

Boo Su-Lyn, 27, and Joseph Sipalan Jr, 33, took up both available positions for online news portals on the IoJ board of governors at its first annual general meeting (AGM) here Friday.

The duo joined other young journalists below the age of 45 on the seven-member board that represents the print, broadcasting, online, as well as the periodical and freelance media sectors in the country.

The newspaper journalists are Lim Hui Ying and Tashny Sukumaran, broadcasting is represented by Amirul Ruslan and Leong Hon Yuen, while Teoh El Sen, who is a broadcasting journalist, was elected to represent the periodical and freelance segment.

The IoJ, which was incorporated in April 2013, is also backing a signature campaign for a petition against the Sedition Act 1948, urging the government not to charge Malaysiakini reporter Susan Loone or other Malaysians with sedition.

At the AGM, IoJ members also approved a motion to set up an annual award for excellence in journalism that will be named the Zainon Ahmad Award after the late veteran editor.

IoJ aims to promote professional standards in journalism and to defend press freedom.

Its stated goals include improving local reportage via a journalism institute that will conduct training courses, the certification of reporting proficiency, and providing fellowships through a journalism foundation.

The IoJ also plans to develop a code of ethics and a code of practice for journalists.