PETALING JAYA: Social activist Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye has criticised the RM100,000 fines imposed on Sin Chew Media Corporation Berhad and Sinar Karangkraf Sdn Bhd, describing them as “very heavy” and warning that such penalties could weaken Malaysia’s already struggling media industry.
He added that the incidents, namely a flawed Jalur Gemilang graphic in Sin Chew Daily and a factual error by Sinar Harian, were unintentional mistakes rather than deliberate affronts.
“In Sin Chew’s case, the anomaly involving the Jalur Gemilang was most likely the result of an AI process without proper fact-checking. What matters is that it was not premeditated.
“Nobody intended to mock the flag. We regret the incident, but it was not deliberate,” he told theSun.
On Sinar Harian, Lee said misreporting may warrant a stern warning, not a six-figure compound.
“The media play a constructive role in nation-building. For a first offence, a warning would suffice,” he said, adding that heavy fines could cripple newsrooms already reeling from falling print sales.
Lee also stressed the need for tighter editorial checks.
“This is a wake-up call – fact-check everything before going to print,” he added.
Universiti Sains Malaysia communication lecturer Dr Chai Ming Hock said both cases reflected serious lapses in editorial judgement that could have been avoided with stricter adherence to journalistic fundamentals.
“In Sin Chew’s case, the responsibility lay with the photo editor or equivalent to verify every image before publication. You can only cut costs so far before standards slip and this has become a very expensive mistake,” he said.
On Sinar Harian, fined for wrongly linking the inspector-general of police to a political party, Chai suggested the rush to publish was driven by pressure to keep up with social media.
“If you’re unsure, don’t publish. (Conventional) media should not try to match social media for speed.
“Their strength is verification, credibility and accuracy. Apologies can be made but sometimes the damage is already done.”
Chai cautioned that repeated mistakes risked eroding public trust, citing a past libel case involving a political leader in which the guilty verdict came years after elections had already been decided.
“This underlines why accuracy and ethics can never be compromised. Journalism must return to its foundations,” he said.
He also criticised the tendency of some publications to racialise legal matters, calling it irresponsible.
“Media must focus on facts, not frame them through ethnic or emotional lenses. Speak to credible sources, not just the easiest ones,” he added.
The controversy erupted when Sin Chew Daily published a front-page illustration of the Malaysian flag missing its crescent moon, coinciding with Chinese President Xi Jinping’s state visit.
The case triggered investigations under the Emblems and Names (Prevention of Improper Use) Act 1963 and the Printing Presses and Publications Act 1984.
In April, Sin Chew suspended its executive editor-in-chief and deputy chief sub-editor pending investigation.
Both were later questioned by police and released on bail.
More than 40 reports were lodged nationwide and at least 42 witness statements taken.
On Sept 19, the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) issued RM100,000 compounds each against Sin Chew Media and Sinar Karangkraf with the approval of the Attorney-General’s Chambers.
The MCMC defended the penalties, stating that national emblems must be respected at all times and that false content involving key institutions could undermine public confidence.