By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, Dec 14: Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg has called on Sarawak’s journalist associations to come up with a legal framework to curb the spread of misinformation and maintain professionalism amongst the media fraternity.
“I will leave that to those involved because when you (journalist) have high integrity, the credibility is there,” he said when officiating at the Kenyalang Journalism Awards 2024 at Riverside Majestic Hotel here earlier tonight.
He pointed out that with the influence of new technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), information is disseminated faster, which sometimes leads to misinformation.
For example, he said that his speech at an event could be quoted out of context, potentially creating tension.
“But that is part of the game now, and the thing is there must be rules and regulations. If the information is incorrect and there is some agenda behind it, you have to arbitrate, and there must be a penalty for misinformation. If not, anyone can write whatever they want,” he said.
Meanwhile, Abang Johari said that the Sarawak government will send eligible journalists to Cambridge University in the United Kingdom (UK) for an executive course.
He said the course, which is a collaboration with Cambridge University, will take about a month or two.
“Because it is an executive programme, you can mix with international executives and deliberate on what is happening around the world.
“Your reports are of global standard, not just Sarawak standard. We want journalists to be well-versed with knowledge and ways to manage information,” he said.
According to him, the panellists selected to choose eligible candidates for the course will include members from the journalism fraternity, government, and private sector to ensure fairness.
“I think we will send two people to Cambridge along with our senior government officers because the subject matter involves economics, social issues, and new dimensions that will allow participants to enhance their skills and perspectives,” he said. — DayakDaily
