A new chapter for Malaysia's press freedom in the age of artificial intelligence — Philip Gan Chee Keat
MAY 3 — As Malaysia joins the United Nations in marking World Press Freedom Day on May 3, the nation finds itself at a pivotal juncture for media freedom, ethical journalism, and long-awaited reform. This year's theme, 'Reporting in the Brave New World – The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Press Freedom and the Media,' resonates deeply in a country where the fight for independent journalism has spanned decades — now facing disruption from the rise of artificial intelligence (AI).
In February 2025, the Malaysian Parliament passed the long-anticipated Malaysian Media Council (MMC) Bill, a landmark move 50 years in the making. First proposed in 1974 by Malaysia's second prime minister, the late Tun Abdul Razak Hussein, the idea of an independent media council has been a persistent demand from journalists, media organisations, and press freedom advocates alike.
Its passing marks a historic milestone for Malaysia's media landscape. The MMC promises to uphold ethical standards, protect press freedom, and offer an industry-led alternative to restrictive laws such as the Printing Presses and Publications Act 1984. After decades of political shifts and debates over the council's structure and independence, this legislative breakthrough finally offers a new foundation for media reform.
The challenges of AI in journalism
Even as Malaysia celebrates this progress, new challenges are emerging. AI is transforming newsrooms across the country — enabling automated reporting, real-time transcription, personalised content delivery, multilingual outputs, and even AI-generated news anchors. These innovations offer significant benefits, from greater efficiency to powerful tools against misinformation.
But the rapid adoption of AI also brings risks: job displacement, algorithmic bias, data privacy concerns, intellectual property issues, and perhaps most worryingly, AI 'hallucinations' — where generative tools produce convincing but misleading content.
While AI may help combat misinformation, it also threatens to erode public trust if left unchecked. This dual-edged nature underscores the urgent need for strong ethical frameworks and regulatory oversight — areas where the new media council must take the lead.
Just days before the MMC Bill was passed, a high-profile incident illustrated this risk. A popular social media platform's AI moderation system mistakenly deactivated several Malaysian news outlets after they reported on a sexual assault case. The AI wrongly flagged the content as harmful, failing to distinguish between responsible journalism and inappropriate material — resulting in the temporary deplatforming of legitimate news organisations.
This incident triggered widespread concern across the media sector. It highlighted how automated moderation systems, lacking human oversight, can jeopardise press freedom. There is an urgent need for platforms to refine their algorithms and establish differentiated treatment for verified media outlets to ensure fair and accurate content moderation.
Towards responsible AI integration
In Malaysia's digital-first media ecosystem — where social platforms double as both information sources and misinformation vectors — the responsible use of AI is more crucial than ever. While partnerships between government and tech companies to tackle misinformation are growing, enforcement remains patchy.
As the MMC begins its journey, its vision must evolve to include clear guidelines for the ethical and transparent use of AI in journalism. AI should enhance, not hinder, the press's ability to serve the public with credible, independent information.
This World Press Freedom Day, Malaysia celebrates a hard-won step forward. With the establishment of the MMC and a renewed focus on navigating AI's impact, the nation now moves toward a future where the press is not only free, but future-ready — informing, challenging, and inspiring the public in an increasingly digital, AI-driven age.
* Philip Gan Chee Keat is Programme Director of the Bachelor of Mass Communication (Honours) and a Lecturer at the School of Media and Communication, Faculty of Social Sciences & Leisure Management at Taylor's University.
** This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of Malay Mail.
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