KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 20 ― Technological advancements have made it impossible to try and control the dissemination of news, a forum on press freedom was told today.
Universiti Selangor Communications Faculty dean Prof Dr Azmudin Ibrahim said that the public have sufficient options to access news and information to make attempts to control media outlets futile.
"We are in an age where the media cannot be controlled. There are ways still to reach out.
"Even if there are laws that restrict, there are still methods to reach out," he said during the
“Merdekakah Media Kita” organised by the Sinar Harian newspaper.
Former New Straits Times group editor-in-chief Datuk A Kadir Jasin also concurred, but said the government was reacting to technical challenges by becoming more restrictive.
"The more technology there is, the more they want to control (the media)," he said.
ProjekMMO editor Fathi Aris Omar explained that part of the problem with the country's media industry was its politically connected funding.
Press freedom activist Gayathry Venkiteswaran said that as long as media groups were owned by those with ties to the government, press freedom will be affected.
"We should focus on revamping the laws and ownership of media," she added.
