Gerakan Youth today renewed its call to the government to review the repressive Printing Presses and Publications Act (PPPA) as it is outdated and harmful to the the mainstream media industry and the economic.

“Gerakan supports freedom of the press and freedom of dissemination of information as long as the freedom is not abused to instigate hatred or spread vicious lies or allegations that are capable of destabilizing our multi-racial society,” said Gerakan Youth chief Lim Si Pin in a statement, in conjunction with World Press Freedom Day today.

Lim pointed out that some sections of the PPPA, especially the one on compulsory renewal of printing permit every year, should be repealed to promote a freer, fairer and more vibrant press in Malaysia.

He also concurred with The National Union of Journalist (NUJ) that “such rules should be repealed as it not only risk to effect the survival of the organisation and the workers involved but could also hurt the print media industry at large.”

He further argued that there were already dozens of other laws such as the Official Secrets Act and Sedition Act to regulate freedom of speech in the country.

On Sunday, at a forum entitled “Is it Necessary to Regulate the Press in Malaysia, NUJ president Norila Mohd Daud said it was high time the government seriously consider doing away with PPBA.