Media institutions should uphold truth - Sultan Nazrin Shah

The Sultan of Perak, Sultan Nazrin Shah today said media institutions are obligated to adhere to the principle of truth while employees should fulfil the trust placed in them and be responsible in carrying out their tasks.

He said media institutions' credibility and integrity were determined by their news reportings based on the principles of truth, justice, accuracy and validity.

"... if a news report is accurate then its contents are pure and honourable," said Sultan Nazrin when opening the Sultan Nazrin Muizzuddin Shah Complex here today.

The Sultan Nazrin Muizzuddin Shah Complex completed in May 2007 is currently housing a total of 100 State Broadcasting Department employees and 60 staff of the Information Department.

It also has an auditorium which can accommodate 500 people at any one time.

According to Sultan Nazrin, the media was akin to a lever or an important mechanism which could influence the direction of the world based on the wisdom of media practitioners and owners.

He said news flow, selection, processing and colour of news were able to shape the public's views, thoughts and perceptions.

"Public interest must be a priority, more importantly the credibility and integrity of national institutions must never be compromised for short-term interests," he said.

Moreover, Sultan Nazrin said the country's official media should be the benchmark in ethical, balanced and authentic news reporting.

At the same time, it serves as a two-way communication between the government and the people as well as an important mechanism in strengthening democracy, he said.

"News reporting which is impartial and based on half truths is not beneficial and counter-productive."

"If the country's official media institutions carry on doing this rampantly, it will eventually create a rift between the people and the government," said Sultan Nazrin.

Sultan Nazrin said the world is witnessing the development of digital democracy, cyber citizens as well as e-government and people now have a choice of information from various sources.

He said people everywhere were in a position to make comparisons and to be more analytical and critical of a report or statement.

"Information is no longer limited to sources which had been filtered and controlled by the authorities, said Sultan Nazrin.

He said the new media was now not only increasingly to be on the main stage, on the contrary, was playing a role in influencing peoples' minds and thinking around the world.

"The era of state-owned broadcasting institutions being at the pinnacle is now coming to an end, in fact, the credibility of state-owned media and communications agencies are increasingly being questioned," he added.