The media plays an important role in ensuring that the actual context of the news does not create tension
KUALA LUMPUR: The role of the media is very important to ensure that the real context of a news item that has the potential to be a source of tension can be conveyed well, said the Economic Director of the Prime Minister’s Office Shahril Sufian Hamdan.
He said to further strengthen the action, the position of organizations such as the Ikatan Setia Kawan Wartawan Malaysia-Indonesia (Iswami) was quite special as one of the channels of people’s diplomacy or media diplomacy between the two countries.
“I believe that with the same awareness, the Right Honorable Prime Minister (Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob) last month announced the approval of an allocation of RM1 million to ensure Iswami (Malaysia) can implement activities to strengthen media relations between Malaysia and Indonesia and the country- other neighboring countries that have been intertwined for so long.
“The allocation given is seen to help Iswami in planning media cooperation programs between the two countries. The special relationship between Malaysia and Indonesia must always be enhanced to a level that can truly achieve potential and relevance to current challenges,” he said.
He said this while speaking at the Economic Director’s Dinner of the Prime Minister’s Office with the Indonesian Media Delegation here last night.
Also present were Acting Chief Executive Officer of the Malaysian National News Agency (Bernama) Roslan Ariffin, Iswami Advisor Datuk Zakaria Abdul Wahab, Iswami Malaysia President Datuk Mokhtar Hussain and the Indonesian media delegation.
On May 29, Ismail Sabri announced an allocation of RM1 million to Iswami to enable it to carry out activities to strengthen media relations between Malaysia and Indonesia as well as other neighboring countries that have been established for a long time.
Meanwhile, Roslan in his welcome speech said Bernama would continue to organize the National Journalist Day (HAWANA) celebration on May 29, 2023 with the support of other media and would definitely invite media friends from Indonesia.
He said the invitation was on the basis of solidarity and it was appropriate for them to celebrate the brotherhood as journalists still had the same role.
“The most important role is for our motherland, meaning Indonesian journalists take care of Indonesia, Malaysian journalists take care of Malaysia.
“Actually there are many conflicts, issues can be resolved by these two countries on the table, not on the table of leaders or ministers but on the table of the media itself because sometimes these conflicts are small but magnified by the media on the basis of sensation,” he said.
The Indonesian media delegation participated in the Indonesian Media Friends Loyalty Visit to Malaysia program from June 28 to July 1, which was organized by Iswami Malaysia.
source – BERNAMA
