CONFIDENTIAL MC/MAY2020/COM540/SET4

UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI MARA

ONLINE MID-TERM TEST

COURSE : MEDIA LAW, REGULATIONS AND ETHICS

COURSE CODE : COM540
MID-TERM : MAY 2020 (20%)
TIME : 2 HOURS
PREPARED BY : MS. ELIZA EZZAUDDIN HUSSEIN

NAME : MIRZA AIMAN BIN MAHADIZR

STUDENT ID : 2019496546

GROUP : MC244S2A

DATE & DAY : Wednesday, May 13, 2020

INSTRUCTIONS TO CANDIDATES

1. This question paper consists of two (2) parts: PART A (1 Question)

PART B (2 Questions)

3. Please refrain yourself from copying from the internet. If detected from your answer scripts,
no marks will be given for your mid-term test.

4. Answer each question in a new page. (One page, one question)

5. Answer ALL questions in English.

NO CHEATING DURING EXAM

"Honesty is the fastest way to prevent a mistake from turning into failure"
- James Altucher.

DO NOT TURN THIS PAGE UNTIL YOU ARE TOLD TO DO SO

This examination paper consists of 2 printed pages

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 CONFIDENTIAL MC/MAY2020/COM540/SET4

PART A (20 marks)

Answer ALL questions.

QUESTION 1

Explain the effort of privatisations on each electronic media stated below:

(20 marks)

a. TV3
b. Metrovision
c. MEASAT-ASTRO
d. NTV7

PART B (30 marks)

Answer ALL questions.

QUESTION 1

The media in Malaysia is controlled through the media ownership and stringent laws. Illustrate
three (3) acts and/or provisions with relevant court cases for each that are used on the restraint
of publication of information in Malaysia.

(15 marks)

QUESTION 2

Discuss among the measures taken by the government to maintain national harmony after the
bloody race riot incidents of May 13, 1969.

(15 marks)

END OF QUESTION PAPER

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 CONFIDENTIAL MC/MAY2020/COM540/SET4

Answer:

Question 1

a. One of the efforts of the privatisation of media is the privatisation of TV3. It was the first
attempts to move control of electronic media from the government to the private sector, in
1983, TV3 officially was licensed to the Sistem Televisyen (M) Berhad (STMB) and launched
in the next year. The ownership of STMB is based on the stock ownership, which is forty
percent of the stock was held by the Fleet Group, the UMNO upholding firm. Thus the Fleet
Group, with more stock ownership than any other single entity, was permitted to pick the
remaining shareholders. Lastly, in exchange, TV3 owns MEGA-TV, a cable MMDS network.

b. To increase variety to media, Malaysia add in Metrovision. In 1994, Melewar Corporation

and Utusan Melayu (M) Berhad were granted a television broadcasting licence to run
Metrovision. Melewar is managed by Tunku Abdullah, who is widely considered to be a close
associate of Prime Minister Mahathir. However, Metrovision Metrovision had been struggling
by 1999, and throughout 2000, Metrovision went off air. Metrovision now has stopped
broadcasting.

c. In 1995, a licensed was issued to Ananda Krishnan to operate MEASAT, and they launched
Malaysia's digital direct broadcast satellite service, ASTRO. However, there was a clear
intention of Krishnan due to his connection with Tun Mahathir.

d. In 1998, Natseven TV Sdn Bhd, which still operates until now, was approved for joining the
private free-to-air television market. Datuk (Dr.) Effendi Norwawi, ENCORP Chairman, owned
by NTV7, is the Chair of NTV7 and at the same time was the 2002 Minister of Agriculture

Part B: Question 1

The media in Malaysia is controlled through media ownership and stringent laws. We can
see this through the implementation of the act or legislation by the government. First of all,
there is Sedition Law 1948. The 1948 Sedition Act offends against acts of a "seditious
tendency," including but not limited to the words and publications spoken. The meaning of
seditious tendency was described in section 3, and the sentence to conviction may be fine
up to RM5,000 or three-year jail terms, or both. Case study related to this law is the Lee May
Ling vs Public Prosecutor. The appellant, Lee May Ling face the charge against under three
laws: Section 5(1) of the Film Censorship Act, Section 4(1)(c) of the Sedition Act and Section
298A(1) of the Penal Code as she published a seditious post on Facebook. The appellant
was found guilty and sentenced to an imprisonment term of five (5) months and 22 days
from 27 .5.2016, and later in 2018 the court gave mercy and substitute the sentence with a
fine of RM5000 in default six-month imprisonment.

Next, the 1998 Communications and Multimedia Act is a Malaysian law enacted to support
and control the converging communications and multimedia industries and incidental
matters. On 8 February 2016, Fahmi Redza posted his artwork of clown caricature of former
Malaysia Prime Minister, Dato' Sri Mohammad Najib bin Tun Abdul Razak. He later charged
under Section 233(1)(a) of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 (Act 588),
punishable according to Section 233(3) on 10 June 2016 for publishing a satirical picture of
the former Prime Minister and for transmitting material of a false nature intended to annoy.
He was found guilty on 20 February 2018 and fined RM30,000 with one month in Ipoh by the
Sessions Court.

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Part B: Question 2

To maintain national harmony after the bloody race riot incidents of May 13, 1969, the
government has taken a few measures, first of all, the government start the New Economy
Policy in 1971. The NEP was established to serves exclusive rights to bumiputeras, to
eradicate poverty in society and to restructure the society. This is because the government
found that the ethnic group was separated in an economic activity where the Malays mostly
participated in farming while Chinese in mining and commerce industry and Indian play parts
in agriculture and plantation. Next, the government expand the local education institution,
UITM to help bumiputeras as there was a shortage of educated professionals among
bumiputeras as, at that time, the English language is the primary medium. This cause rural
Malays at a very disadvantage position. Thus, the government also see education is the
best way out of poverty in society. The final step is the implementation of Rukun Negara.
Rukun Negara has been described as the national ideology that emphasises belief in God,
loyalty to king and country, and respect for multiracial society cultures and traditions. The
five Rukun Negara is: i) kepercayaan kepada tuhan, ii) kesetiaan kepada raja dan negara, iii)
keluhuran perlembagaan, iv) kedaulatan undang-undang, v) kesopanan dan kesusilaan.

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