Printing Presses and Publications (Amendment) 1
A BILL
i n t i t u l e d
A n A c t t o a m e n d t h e P r i n t i n g P r e s s e s a n d P u b l i c a t i o n s
Act 1984.
[ ] ENACTED by the Parliament of Malaysia as follows:
Short title and commencement
1. (1) T h i s A c t m a y b e c i t e d a s t h e P r i n t i n g P r e s s e s a n d
Publications (Amendment) Act 2012.

(2) This Act comes into operation on a date to be appointed
by the Minister by notification in the Gazette.
Amendment of section 3
2. The Printing Presses and Publications Act 1984 [ Act 301 ],
which is referred to as the “principal Act” in this Act, is amended
by substituting for subsection 3(3) the following subsection:
“(3) The Minister may grant to any person a licence to keep
for use or use a printing press and he may refuse any application
for such licence or may at any time revoke or suspend such
licence for any period he considers desirable.”.

Bill 2
Amendment of section 6
3. Subsection 6(1) of the principal Act is amended by deleting
the words “in his absolute discretion”.
Substitution of section 12
4. The principal Act is amended by substituting for section 12
the following section:
“Validity of licence and permit
12. A licence or permit granted under this Act shall be
subject to such conditions as may be endorsed in the licence
or permit and shall remain valid for so long as it is not
revoked.”.
Amendment of section 13 a
5. Subsection 13 a(1) of the principal Act is amended by deleting
the words “and shall not be called in question by any court on
any ground whatsoever”.
Substitution of section 13 b
6. The principal Act is amended by substituting for section 13 b
the following section:
“Right to be heard
13 b. A person who has been granted a licence or permit
under this Act shall be given an opportunity to be heard
before a decision to revoke or suspend such licence or
permit is made under subsection 3(3), 6(2) or 13(1), as the
case may be.”.
Savings provision
7. A licence or permit that has been granted and is valid at the
date of coming into operation of this Act shall remain valid for
so long as it is not revoked, notwithstanding its expiry date.

Printing Presses and Publications (Amendment) 3
EXPLANATORY STATEMENT
This Bill seeks to amend the Printing Presses and Publications Act 1984
(“Act 301”).

2. Clause 1 contains the short title and provision on the commencement of
the proposed Act.
3. Clause 2 seeks to amend subsection 3(3) of Act 301 to remove the reference
to the Minister ’s “absolute discretion” in granting or refusing a printing press
licence. This amendment also seeks to remove the power of the Minister to
specify in the licence the period of validity of such licence. This amendment
is consistent with the amendment made in clause 4 .
4. Clause 3 seeks to amend subsection 6(1) of Act 301 to remove the
reference to the Minister ’s “absolute discretion” in granting a person a permit
to print or publish a newspaper in Malaysia or in granting the proprietor of
any newspaper in Singapore a permit allowing such newspaper to be imported,
sold, circulated or distributed in Malaysia.
5. Clause 4 seeks to amend section 12 of Act 301 to remove the period of
validity for a licence or permit and to allow such licence or permit to remain
valid for so long as it is not revoked.
6. Clause 5 seeks to amend subsection 13 a(1) of Act 301 to remove the
prohibition of judicial review on the decision of the Minister to grant, refuse
to grant, revoke or suspend a licence or permit under Act 301.
7. Clause 6 seeks to amend section 13 b of Act 301 to give a person an
opportunity to be heard before a decision to revoke or suspend such licence
or permit is made under subsection 3(3), 6(2) or 13(1), as the case may be.
8. Clause 7 seeks to provide for savings provision.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
T h i s B i l l w i l l n o t i n v o l v e t h e G o v e r n m e n t i n a n y e x t r a f i n a n c i a l
expenditure.
[PN(U 2)2849]