KUALA LUMPUR, July 28 – In order to provide the people with fair and accurate news and information, media freedom must be upheld and empowered, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. He emphasized that such efforts would also address all forms of malicious deception and fake news that could sow division and erode trust. Anwar, who is also the Finance Minister, made these remarks while announcing the “Ekonomi Madani: Memperkasa Rakyat” (Civil Economy: Empowering the People) initiative in Kuala Lumpur.
Furthermore, he reiterated the government’s commitment to good governance, aiming to restore the confidence of all stakeholders, which can only be achieved through the support and trust of all parties in the government. He stated that through good governance and efficient service delivery systems, this goal could be achieved. To this end, he stressed the urgent need for structural, systemic, and institutional reforms to enable the country to move towards its desired goals.
Additionally, the Prime Minister highlighted the need to expand the role of the Dewan Rakyat (House of Representatives) in line with parliamentary reforms initiated since 2018. “A Special Parliamentary Select Committee has been formed, and their roles in legislation and oversight will be established through amendments to the Standing Orders.” “The government has also introduced the Prime Minister’s Question Time to allow direct interaction between the Prime Minister and government and opposition Members of Parliament,” he added.
Anwar further assured that the government would continue to collaborate with Parliament, including proposals to repeal any outdated laws that might have served their purpose in the past but now conflict with the aspirations of Malaysia Madani (Civil Malaysia).
