Former Federal Court judge Nallini says judicial experience will help safeguard Media Council’s independence

KUALA LUMPUR, June 20 — Newly appointed Malaysian Media Council chairman Tan Sri Nallini Pathmanathan said her decades in the judiciary would help the council build credibility, protect its independence and earn public trust.

Bernama reported that the former Federal Court judge addressed questions over why a former judge had been chosen to lead the self-regulatory media body during a media dialogue with Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil in Butterworth today.

“I am not a journalist. I have never run a newsroom, closed a front page or worked to a news desk deadline,” she was quoted as saying.

However, Nallini said her experience on the Bench had prepared her to safeguard the council’s independence, ensure fair processes and uphold confidence in its decisions.

She said the council’s immediate priorities included setting up a complaints and adjudication framework, expanding membership across the media industry, and responding to emerging challenges such as fabricated content and misuse of artificial intelligence.

Nallini said the council must remain useful to the government, industry and public without being owned by any of them.

She also stressed that its complaints mechanism must not be used to silence journalists, saying strong reporting that challenges those in power was central to a free press.

“The Council will uphold standards, but it will be vigilant in ensuring that the upholding of standards is not turned into a means of discouraging the very journalism a democracy most needs,” she said.