Revised code of conduct for Malaysian advertisers

Malaysia - In a bid to regulate the US$1.6 billion advertising industry, Malaysia's Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has revised the code of conduct which requires ads to be legal, decent and not racist.

The new code covers all ads, encompassing print media, billboards, leaflets and labels amongst others, all of which account for over 60% of the country's ad spend.

ASA was set up in 1977 to administer the code of conduct, which underwent a revision in 1990.

The third edition of the code covers environmental claims, motoring, property advertising and database marketing. It has dropped the specific rules on cigarette advertising as the tobacco companies have agreed to self-regulate by not advertising cigarettes.

"At the heart of the self-regulation lies the commitment of the advertising industry to commissioning, producing and publishing ads that are honest and socially responsible," Tan Sri Abdul Kadir Sheikh, chairman of ASA said.