THE Department of Community Communications (J-Kom), which was previously under the Prime Minister’s Department, has now been placed under the Communications Ministry.

Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil, who is also government spokesman, said the decision to place J-Kom under his ministry was decided at the cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim in Putrajaya today.

Anwar, when announcing the cabinet reshuffle yesterday, said the decision to split the Communications and Digital Ministry was to address communication and digital transformation in a proper manner.

Fahmi was named communications minister while Damansara MP Gobind Singh Deo, the former communications and multimedia minister, was made digital minister.

Fahmi said Bernama, Tun Abdul Razak Broadcasting and Information Institute, Information Department, Broadcasting Department, National Film Development Corporation Malaysia, Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission and MyCreative Ventures are also under the Communications Ministry.

The Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation, MYNIC Bhd and the Department of Personal Data Protection will be moved to the Digital Ministry.

“Digital Nasional Bhd’s position is still under discussion and a decision will be made later,” he told a media conference today.

Fahmi said the Communications Ministry plans to get feedback directly from the public on all policies and programmes implemented by the government, in line with the prime minister’s call for participatory democracy.

“This ministry will strive to prepare a format either through an app or agency that will be decided later to help efforts to gather the people’s comments, get the people’s views on the latest issues, including the government’s policies, decisions or programmes,” he said.

“This is in line with the prime minister’s intention moving forward, that the people will be more involved and given a chance to air their opinions in the formulation of policies or the implementation of government programmes or activities,” he said. 

Asked about the appointment status of the J-Kom director-general, Fahmi asked all parties to give him time to finalise several matters before the appointment is made.

“I have yet to meet J-Kom, so I need to give them time and space to brief me first about further developments,” he said.

The post of J-Kom director-general has been vacant since Dr Mohammad Agus Yusoff resigned on November 15.

Fahmi said the cabinet meeting today also discussed the various agencies that will be placed in the relevant ministries following the restructuring as announced by the prime minister in the reshuffle yesterday.

“However, it is still not decided and I cannot say more than that until what is called the ministerial functions order is gazetted, which we expect next month,” he said.

As for the Digital Ministry, Fahmi said the process for the formation of the ministry is ongoing and it is set to be housed at Menara Usahawan. – Bernama, December 13, 2023.