KUALA LUMPUR: The government has implemented multiple efforts that enable Malaysians to distinguish false information and fake news as well as verify any information they come across, said Communications and Multimedia Minister Tan Sri Annuar Musa.
"The existence of fake news in the medium of communication will restrict the community from communicating and reduce the community's ability to engage in productive discourse.
"SEBENARNYA.MY was set up by the Malaysian Government in 2017 as a fact-checking website run by the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission. This initiative was created as a reliable government source for the public to verify the information they received via their screens," he said in his official address at World Press Freedom Day Virtual Forum: Journalism Under Digital Siege here today.
The minister's speech was read out by Communications and Multimedia Ministry (K-KOMM) deputy secretary-general (Strategic Communications and Creative Industry) Mastura Ahmad Mustafa.
With the development of the increasingly sophisticated digital era, he said Malaysia is no exception to being a victim of increased misinformation and disinformation.
"However, it is not a new phenomenon, only that now it comes in forms invisible to us all and they are more subtle, not to mention more dangerous," he said.
For example, Annuar said the COVID-19 pandemic had created an environment where all of us had no choice but to go digital in a virtual world brought to a standstill in efforts to contain the virus.
He said there was much misinformation in form of fake news and distorted information during the height of the pandemic which was difficult to contain as the digital world is a borderless world.
He added that the domino effects of the COVID-19 pandemic had auspiciously baffled governments and stakeholders on managing public panic emerging from consumerism in the news, particularly through digital media.
Annuar said the digitalisation transformation has changed the way journalists work, the method of how information is disseminated, and the way events are reported.
It has forced all types of media to reinvent themselves in ways we never thought would have been possible just 20 years ago, Annuar said.
"We have to accept the fact that the digitalisation of the media industry is driven by changing consumer behaviour and expectations, especially among the young who demand everything to be at their fingertips here and now.
"Media practitioners will agree with me that digitalisation has challenged the journalism code of ethics continuously. Do we put it up there now before getting all sides of the story? Do we repeat what the others said without verification? If we don't publish it now would we miss out our readers and viewers? Is it ethical to write a story based on WhatsApp text?
"Was the picture sent photoshopped? Shall we still put it up? Would it be morally right? These are the questions continuously asked by ethical media practitioners," he said.
Annuar added that K-KOMM understands the challenges media practitioners are facing and is completely hands-on in trying to ensure media upholds its ethics.
-- BERNAMA
Bernama
Wed Jun 08 2022
The government has implemented multiple efforts that enable Malaysians to distinguish false information and fake news as well as verify any information they come across, said Communications and Multimedia Minister Tan Sri Annuar Musa. - Astro AWANI
'No one will win a trade war,' China says after Trump tariff threat
Donald Trump says he would impose the tariffs until China stops the flow of illegal drugs, particularly fentanyl, into the United States.
What has caused Pakistan's deadly clashes between police and supporters of Imran Khan?
Topping the demands of Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party is the release of all its leaders, including Khan, who has been jailed on a series of corruption charges since August 2023.
One woman or girl killed every 10 minutes by intimate partner or family member - UN
The report highlights that "60 per cent of all female homicides" are committed by "people closely related to them".
Sweden urges Chinese ship to return for undersea cable investigation
Two subsea cables, one linking Finland and Germany and the other connecting Sweden to Lithuania, were damaged in less than 24 hours.
[COLUMNIST] Building more highways won’t solve traffic congestion - reducing demand will
It is clear that adding more lanes and highways doesn't work, because we are still attempting the same approach to solve the issue.
Hyundai to invest RM2.16 bil in Malaysia through strategic partnership with INOKOM
This investment includes efforts to upgrade INOKOM's existing assembly capacity to meet Hyundai's automotive needs.
‘C4Cinta’ sets record as highest-grossing Malaysian Tamil film
'C4Cinta', directed by young filmmaker Karthik Shamalan, has set a new benchmark in Malaysian Tamil cinema.
Man charged with mother's murder, storing body in freezer
The court denied bail and scheduled case mention on Feb 7 for the submission of forensic, autopsy, and chemist reports.
Abolition of examination in schools to reduce pressure on pupils - Fadhlina
The classroom assessment approach offers a much more interesting learning ecosystem, says Fadhlina Sidek.
Google, Meta urge Australia to delay bill on social media ban for children
Google and Meta says the government should wait for the results of an age-verification trial before going ahead.
Judge tosses Trump 2020 election case after prosecutors' request
It represents a big legal victory for Donald Trump, who won the Nov. 5 US election and is set to return to office on Jan. 20.
DHL plane crash in Lithuania leaves authorities searching for answers
Rescue services said the plane hit the ground, split into pieces and slid over 100 metres (110 yards).
National squad to hold friendly matches for 2025 Indoor Hockey World Cup
The warm-up matches will involve matches against better ranked teams in the world, namely Austria (first) and Belgium (third).
G7 seeks unity on ICC arrest warrant for Netanyahu
The United States, part of the G7, has rejected the ICC decision, with President Joe Biden describing it as outrageous.
Francissca Peter remembers Tan Sri Ahmad Nawab: A tribute to a musical legend
A legend who has influenced our music for decades, was one of the highlights of my career, says Francissca Peter.
TikTok decision coming soon as Jan. 19 divestment deadline looms
Judges are reviewing TikTok's challenge to a law requiring ByteDance to sell its US assets by Jan. 19 or face a ban.
Lebanese sources: Biden, Macron set to announce Israel-Hezbollah truce
In Washington, White House national security spokesperson John Kirby said, "We're close" but "nothing is done until everything is done".
PM meets chaebol tycoon to attract more FDI to Malaysia
Chaebols are prominent figures from South Korea's family-owned conglomerates.
Govt won't allow non-citizen vehicles to enjoy RON95 subsidy - Economy Ministry
The implementation of the RON95 subsidy in 2025 is expected to provide savings of RM3.6 billion to government expenditure.
Ringgit opens lower as greenback gains ground
Dr Mohd Afzanizam says the market responded positively to news of hedge fund manager Scott Bessent heading the US Treasury Department.