Media practitioners told to write without fear

Media practitioners need to write with absolute accuracy, without fear or favour so that what is written will properly recorded and become tomorrow's history, Sarawak Minister of Local Government and Community Development Datuk Seri Wong Soon Koh said.

He said the mass media was often regarded as the fourth estate, the other three being the legislative, executive and judiciary.

"And this fourth estate plays a very important role, not only in nation building but also in disseminating not just information but also cultural values about our country," he said at the Commonwealth Journalists Association (CJS Sarawak Branch) News Reporting Workshop in Mandarin dinner and certificate Presentation ceremony, here last night.

Soon Koh said he also hoped traditional media practitioners were ready for challenges from the Internet-based media because the latter has become more popular nowadays.

Also present were CJA Sarawak chairman Caroline Jackson and Kuching Division Journalists Association chairman (KDJA) Sulok Tawie.

Twenty participants comprising journalists from local and national Chinese dailies as well as media related officers from the State Information Department, Radio Television Malaysia (RTM) and Sarawak Energy Berhad successfully completed the two-day workshop

At the same event, Soon Koh also pledged a government grant to help CJA conduct meaningful activities such as organising workshops.

Earlier, Jackson, in her speech, made a request to Wong to consider allocating an appropriate government grant to CJA for it to carry out more activities in future.

She said the Sarawak media had always enjoyed good rapport with the state government and its leaders, and that its role in nation building by acting as a bridge to reach out to the people cannot be underestimated.