The International Council for Advertising Self-Regulation (ICAS) and its members warmly welcome that the Communications and Multimedia Content Forum of Malaysia (CMCF) joins ICAS as an associate member.
The CMCF is an independent self-regulatory body set up via the Communications and Multimedia Act of 1998 and operates under the auspices of the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission. As an industry self-regulatory body, the Content Forum comprises key members of the communications and multimedia content industry, including broadcasters, advertisers, content creators, internet access service providers and civic groups.
The CMCF oversees a Content Code which sets out guidelines and procedures for good practice and standards of content disseminated for public consumption by service providers in the communications and multimedia industry in Malaysia. While the code covers all types of content, advertising is an essential part of it and the code highlights the importance that all advertisements should be legal, decent, honest and truthful.
ICAS is a global platform that promotes responsible advertising through effective advertising self-regulation. With CMCF, ICAS has now 32 members including Self-Regulatory Organizations (SROs) as well as other national, regional and international bodies committed to responsible advertising.
Lee Peeler, ICAS President, stated, “We at ICAS are delighted to welcome the CMCF to our global network. CMCF’s decision to join ICAS will certainly strengthen our efforts to promote the value of effective self-regulation worldwide, but especially in the Asian-Pacific region and its thriving economies. CMCF has regulated content and advertising in Malaysia for two decades and we look forward to learning from them and working together to achieve our objectives and ensure responsible advertising for consumers and businesses across the globe.
Mediha Mahmood, Executive Director of CMCF, said “CMCF is honoured to become a member of the esteemed network of ICAS. Today’s global digital content landscape is evolving even faster than the process of making new laws. This necessitates the collaboration of global stakeholders to address and facilitate self-regulation, providing an additional layer of protection to complement the legal framework. CMCF constantly seeks to collaborate with content stakeholders not only locally, but also on an international level. Our alliance with ICAS and its 31 members is a step in the right direction. We look forward to a fruitful collaboration with ICAS.”
