KUCHING: Local journalists have been told to write responsibly while striving for success both at home and abroad.
Local Government and Housing Minister Datuk Seri Dr Sim Kui Hian said to achieve this, journalists must uphold their standard of professionalism and credibility when writing news stories so that people can make informed decisions.
Dr Sim also stressed that high journalistic standard is needed more than ever in the face of competition from ‘citizen journalists’.
“We need real journalism more than ever. Social media changed the world, for both good and bad, it provides the platform for public to share instant news.
“However, few people bother to check or verify the authenticity of the information. Information now is written according to the public’s desire for cheap, unsolicited and unverified information,” he added.
Pointing out that Sarawak journalists played a vital role in the state’s development, he said stories about Sarawak would help to promote the state’s tourism.
“Writing stories about what is happening in Sarawak can help to attract people to come to visit us. There is nothing more powerful than your writing,” he said.
