Accountability, discipline to balance hyperconnectivity

The National Undergraduates Leadership Conference 2014 (Pemanas 2014) saw today's most operative word, hyperconnectivity takes centrestage.

Malaysian Communication and Multimedia Commission chairman Datuk Mohamed Sharil Mohamed Tarmizi said hyperconnectivity at the tip of one's fingers, had left internet users with no time to think or censor the information load they freely receive.

As a result, they unwittingly share news that might not necessarily be accurate, or pictures that might not have been for public consumption.

Malaysia currently has about 35.7 million smartphone owners, he said.

According to the 2013/3014 Economic Report issued by the Finance Ministry in October, Malaysians are spending more time surfing the internet than on other media such as television, radio and newspapers.

"The internet penetration rate is 91 per cent with one in every three minutes hitting the social network line, 11.8 million Malaysians have Facebook accounts with more than 80 per cent surfing the internet to access Facebook.

"Internet users in Malaysia are projected to increase by seven million in 2015, compared to just 18 million in 2012," he said.

Prof Datuk Dr Mohamed Mustafa Ishak, who is the Politics, Security and International Affairs Cluster chief in the National Council of Professors, said hyperconnectivity was neccessary in this age of communication and information technology.

"In this world that is bridged by high speed broadband, every strata of society is inevitably exposed to the numerous activities in the social media.

"What is important is that we use this hyperconnectivity in a proper manner," he told Bernama here today.

Meanwhile, Malaysian Youth Activists president Azrinizam Ibrahim said internet users, particularly the young generation must ensure that the information they received had come from reliable sources.

"If we share information or news that is erroneous, it may cause undue concern to the masses, for example, the report that Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) would cut off the electricity supply in Terengganu.

"Such news would surely make the people anxious," he said.

TIME dotCom CEO Afzal Abdul Rahim said there must be a balance between liberal internet accessibility and hyperconnectivity.

"The balance lies in the attitude of accountability and discipline of the users," he said.