KUCHING: The Sarawak government will continue to work with the media fraternity in creating awareness on the direction of the state’s development.
Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg said the government has treated journalists as its strategic partner in transforming the country and society.
“The journalists are agents of change, where you can mould the thinking and perception and at the same time, you can shape the direction of how people should behave.
“In the meantime, the state government will continue to improve ourselves and the journalists must also give a fair view on what we have done.
“That should be the way we interact between journalists and the government. They have to go together. On Sarawak’s part, we have benefited from the collaboration.”
He said this when officiating at the 32nd Kenyalang Journalism Award ceremony held at Imperial Hotel here last night.
He also noted that as the world moves forward, social media has emerged to become a major source of information for the general public.
“With the emergence of the new medium, there is also a new culture within the journalism industry called ‘fake news’ which becomes a challenge to identify whether the news are genuine or not. However, that is the development of the media today,” he said.
Even when some are calling the printed media as a sunset industry as electronic media is moving in, Abang Johari said both the media could actually come together.
“In that aspect, the state government is also working towards developing the digital infrastructure in order to increase the flow of information through our modern technology,” he added.
Among those present were Local Government and Housing Minister Datuk Seri Dr Sim Kui Hian, Assistant Minister in the Chief Minister’s Department (Corporate Affairs and Ukas) Abdullah Saidol and Federation of Sarawak Journalist Association (FSJA) president Jacquline Nur Atiqah Abdullah.
