Заместитель премьер-министра Саравака назвал СМИ стратегическим партнером правительства в обеспечении стабильности

KUCHING: The media play a bigger role in Sarawak's multicultural society than merely reporting the news, says Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof. The Deputy Prime Minister said Sarawak occupied a unique position in the nation's media landscape due to its cultural, language and ethnic diversity. "As such, the media is a bridge connecting the various races as well as urban and rural communities. "The media also give a voice to local communities, promote culture and present the development agenda in an inclusive manner," he said at the state-level National Journalists Day (Hawana) celebration here on Thursday (July 16) night. Fadillah also recognised the media's role as the government's strategic partners in providing clear and accurate information on current issues such as infrastructure projects, energy transition, the green economy and digital transformation. "As we face the challenges of climate change, geopolitical uncertainty and increasingly complex energy landscape, clear and ethical communication is important to ensure that the people understand the government's policies and initiatives, giving them confidence that each decision is based on facts and not perceptions or speculation," he said. Fadillah also called on media organisations to continue investing in training and upskilling journalists in areas such as data analytics, digital security, ethical use of artificial intelligence (AI) and fact-checking. He said the Sarawak Public Communications Unit (Ukas) can assist and support media professionals in this respect. "Media practitioners need to be equipped with skills and specific knowledge on the topics they write about. "When the media report important topics accurately, they support the national agenda and help ensure peace and stability," he added. Fadillah later presented the Sarawak Premier's special appreciation awards to 13 media practitioners for their contributions. The recipients, who included journalists, editors, photographers, cameramen, radio presenters and influencers, received RM3,000 and a plaque each.