Former Federal Court judge Tan Sri Nallini Pathmanathan has been appointed chairman of the Malaysian Media Council (MMC), after decades of calls by media groups for an independent self-regulatory body.
The MMC was established in 2025 under the Malaysian Media Council Act. The council said the appointment was unanimously endorsed by MMC board members at a meeting on May 26.
Deputy Communications Minister Teo Nie Ching welcomed the appointment, citing Nallini's past judgments on online media liability and citizenship rights as examples of her approach to constitutional and public-interest issues.
In a landmark ruling involving an online news portal, Nallini ruled that the portal should not be held liable for comments posted by its subscribers. She also penned a dissenting judgment in a citizenship case, advocating for a purposive, compassionate interpretation of constitutional law.
Teo said any state intervention in media regulation could be perceived as pressure on press freedom, making industry self-regulation important.
Sources: Bernama, New Straits Times, Malaysian Media Council.
