Turning the media tide in Myanmar

Information Minister U Aung Kyi during the interview at the Myanmar Radio and Television offices in Yangon on Sunday. Photograph: The Myanmar Times

Myanmar Information Minister U Aung Kyi has spoken in support of abolishing the 1962 Printers and Publishers Registration Law and predicted that daily publishing licences will be issued to the private sector early next year. In an exclusive, wide-ranging interview, his first since being appointed Information Minister, he also stressed that a proposed media law meet international standards, that a planned press council be self-regulating and of the importance of journalists adhering to a code of practice. U Aung Kyi, the former Labour Minister who had also served as the previous military government’s liaison with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi while she was under house arrest, was appointed Information Minister in the reshuffle announced by President U Thein Sein on August 27. U Aung Kyi replaces U Kyaw Hsan, who had been Information Minister since 2002 and was appointed Minister for Cooperatives in the reshuffle. The Editor of the Myanmar edition of The Myanmar Times, Zaw Myint, spoke to U Aung Kyi in Yangon on Sunday. Print media journalists have called for the abolition of the 1962 Printers and Publishers Registration Law, which provides for publications to be penalised if they breach censorship guidelines. What is your response? I agree that this law should not be retained. I am reviewing the draft of Press Media Law, which includes a provision for the repeal of the 1962 law. It is understood that when the new media law is enacted, the 1962 law will be repealed. Meanwhile, I am considering two courses of action for proceeding with the Press Media Law. One is to submit it to the hluttaw [committee], as originally planned, so it will be enacted as soon as possible. The other is to have it reviewed by journalists and experts to consider possible amendments so that when it is finally enacted it meets international standards. I am yet to make up my mind because I am new to this role and I do not think I should act with haste. That is why I am taking my time.
(Source:PhnomPenhPost)

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