Handling The Heat: Is Media Freedom A Requirement for Democracy? Debate

The University of Nottingham Institute of Asia Pacific Studies and Centre for the Study of Communications and Culture, Malaysia in association with The British High Commission KL invites you to attend the second in a series of highly topical panel debates: 

Handling The Heat: Is Media Freedom A Requirement for Democracy?  
Malaysia’s media landscape is dominated by a few large conglomerates and high levels of governmental control. The nation recently fell to an all-time low of 147th out of 180 in the Reporters Without Borders’ 2014 Media Freedom Index. However, the government maintains that censorship is required to maintain security and social unity, and that the right to freedom of expression is a Western construct.

What would be the consequences if legislation like the Printing Presses and Publications Act and Sedition Act were abolished? Is Malaysia a mature enough democracy to handle difficult public discussions about religion and ethnicity? What role does transparency play in economic development? And who ultimately stands to gain from increased media freedom in Malaysia?

Panel speakers:   

• YB Dato' Abdul Rahman Bin Haji Dahlan (Minister of Urban Well-being, Housing and Local Government Sabah [BN-UMNO] Member of Parliament for Kota Belud)
• YB Rafizi Ramli (Strategy Director, Parti Keadilan Rakyat [PKR])
• Jahabar Sadiq (Editor-in-Chief, Malaysian Insider)
• Dr Joanne Lim (Associate Professor of Media and Cultural Studies, University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus) 

Moderator:

• Sharaad Kuttan, BFM 89.9 The Business Station

Media Partner:

• BFM 89.9 The Business Station

Details:

Date: Thursday, 19 June 2014
Time: 7.30 pm to 10.00 pm
Venue: Mini Auditorium, Malaysian Tourism Center (MaTiC), Jalan Ampang, Kuala Lumpur
RSVP: Friday, 13 June 2014 to IAPSMalaysia@nottingham.edu.my

Note: 
We would like to invite members of the audience to send in their questions for the panellist along with their RSVPs by Friday, 13 June 2014. Questions most relevant to the debate topic will be chosen, and the authors will be contacted as you will be asking those questions in person on the day of the debate. There will also be a Q&A session at the end of the debate. Please note that these questions will not be revealed to the panellist in advance of the debate. 

Ample parking space is available around the building.

This event is free to attend, but spaces are limited and will be allocated on a first come first served basis. Please register your attendance now to avoid disappointment.

Programme: