All Media Gives People Space To Air Views, Says Bernama Editor-In-Chief

ALL MEDIA GIVES PEOPLE SPACE TO AIR VIEWS, SAYS BERNAMA EDITOR-IN-CHIEF PETALING JAYA (Malaysia), Nov 11 (Bernama) -- Both mainstream and alternative media in the country are upholding democracy by giving people the space to air their views and ideas, said Malaysian National News Agency (Bernama) Editor-in-Chief Yong Soo Heong. He said, many media organisations still practised open system in disseminating information, as well as provided the opportunity for the public to express their views. In fact, the government was encouraging the media to be more open by repealing certain media laws to ensure the public had the opportunities to express their views, he said at the forum, 'The Role of Media in Strenghtening Democracy' organised by South South Information Gateway here Thursday. In addition, he hoped professional journalists would upgrade their skills to enhance their performance and role in disseminating information to the public. Yong noted that those in the alternative media possessed more writing skills and had extensive knowledge of current issues. "This can be achieved if professional journalists continue to improve their writing skills and put a lot of passion in their career," he said. Meanwhile, Information director-general Ibrahim Abd Rahman said the government was committed to continue exercising democracy in the country. However, the government had to deal with a lot of misinformation and misperceptions in the media, especially the new social media like Facebook and Twitter. National Union of Journalists president Chin Sung Chew said the mainstream media remained a reliable source of news amid challenges posed by the new media. He said mainstream media played an important role in that they served as a bridge between the public and the government. "Corrective measures taken by the authorities are a reflection of press freedom and democracy in this country," he said. -- BERNAMA