Recommendations: CIJ’s Media Law Instant Expert

I have a ton of books to read but I managed to finish off this booklet over the weekend. It’s well worth the read, short juicy and really affordable as well. Published by Centre for Independent Journalism Malaysia, “Instant Expert: The Malaysian Media” by Sonia Randhawa points out just how much of a democracy Malaysia is.

Although the book focuses on freedom of expression, just ploughing through the numerous legislation, the policies created by the legislation, the ‘hidden agendas’ which inevitably pop up, that’s enough to show how much Malaysia has not progressed regressed, keeping in mind the recent ISA detention of Teresa Kok, Raja Petra and Sin Chew’s Tan Hoon Cheng.

This book also points out something I already knew, but much more clearly, i.e. how truckloads of legislation from the 1980s has no judicial review, thanks to the good Dr.

But get a copy of this book and read it.

On the matter of the ‘monster’ of all legislation, take a read of Surin’s ‘Let Right Be Done‘. It’s interesting how our legislation has moved far beyond what they were meant for, and with the removal of judicial review, IMHO, the executive has been able to move according to its own whims and fancies.

Once reading these two pieces, I don’t think I’ll be the only one who believes Malaysia has far to go to reach the ‘international hub’/'globally competitive’/'world class’ nation the leaders would like us to think we are.