KUCHING: The Malaysian Media Council (MMM) has rolled out Phase 2 of its complaints mechanism, introducing stricter submission requirements aimed at improving transparency and accountability in handling public grievances.
Effective from today until Sept 30, all complaints must now be submitted through the council’s official form, with email submissions no longer accepted.
The move is intended to ensure that every complaint is systematically recorded, assessed and processed under a more structured framework.
MMM said it will continue adopting the interim approach introduced in Phase 1, where complaints not first raised with the relevant media organisation will be forwarded by the secretariat for initial resolution.
This reflects the principle that disputes should first be addressed at the organisational level before escalating to the council.
The public is advised to refer to the MMM Code of Conduct and grievance guidelines before lodging complaints to ensure submissions fall within the council’s jurisdiction.
During Phase 1, which ran from Jan 22 to Mar 31, the council received five complaints involving issues such as reporting accuracy, unauthorised use of images, ethical concerns and content affecting social harmony.
All cases were resolved at the initial screening stage, achieving a 100 per cent resolution rate.
According to a media statement, the mechanism is not intended to be punitive, but to enhance accountability, strengthen journalistic practices and build public trust in the media.
Further details and the official complaint form are available on the council’s website.
