By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, May 27: The Sarawak government is committed to supporting media professionals, fostering innovation and promoting media literacy to ensure that the media landscape in Sarawak remains dynamic, inclusive and ethical.
Deputy Minister in the Premier of Sarawak’s Department (Corporate Affairs and Ukas) Datuk Abdullah Saidol affirmed this in recognition that media practitioners today faced a competitive environment that is increasingly digital, mobile and social-media based.
“While new media has brought many benefits and opportunities, it also presents several issues and challenges that need to be addressed.
“New media has a positive and negative impact on society, affecting everything from the way people consume news to entertainment and the way they form and maintain relationships,” he said in his speech when addressing the Sarawak Media Conference 2024 (SMeC) dinner ceremony at a hotel here last night (May 26).
Abdullah noted that the Conference, held in conjunction with the National Journalists’ Day (Hawana) 2024 celebration hosted in Kuching, has shed light on various significant issues and challenges in the new media landscape such as privacy and security, misinformation and fake news, addiction and overuse, polarization and echo chambers, income inequality, the digital divide, and much more.
“However, it has also opened up new opportunities for businesses and organisations to reach and engage with audiences in ways that were not previously possible,” he added.
Meanwhile, the ceremony was graced by the presence of Sarawak Governor Tun Pehin Sri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar and his wife, Toh Puan Fauziah Mohammad Sanusi and the Premier of Sarawak Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg and his wife, Puan Sri Datuk Amar Juma’ani Tun Tuanku Bujang.
Some 800 media practitioners from Sarawak, Sabah and Peninsular Malaysia, and from 11 other countries including Indonesia, Brunei Singapore, Cambodia, Qatar, China, Japan and France were celebrated.
Deputies Premier Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas and Datuk Amar Dr Sim Kui Hian and Federal Minister of Communication Fahmi Fadzil were also present. — DayakDaily
