NEW DELHI, Dec 26 — Malaysia plans to set up a national body to look after media-related matters, Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Mohamed Hanipa Maidin said.

"We plan to establish a media council, but we have yet come up with a concrete framework for it. Preparatory discussions are taking place with all stakeholders,” he told Bernama in New Delhi.

Communications and Multimedia Minister Gobind Singh Deo and the prime minister's media and communications advisor Datuk Abdul Kadir Jasin are leading the initiative, Mohamed Hanipa said.

The planned agency's mandate will be determined, keeping in view the latest developments in the media sector.

Mohamed Hanipa said some old forms of media have become "obsolete” and Malaysia has to embrace new technologies and methods of disseminating information.

The deputy minister was in Delhi to learn about the functioning of India's Law Commission as Malaysia is working on setting up an independent legal reform panel.

Malaysia is looking at the practices of Commonwealth countries, including Australia and New Zealand, in developing its new law institution. — Bernama