Media urged not to sensationalise sex and crime reports

August 31, 2004

Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi is sad that competition has prompted the local media to sensationalise some sex or crime stories.

He said yesterday that this could raise false public alarm and give other countries a wrong and distorted impression of Malaysia.

He said that although there was no intention by anyone to curb the flow of information to the public, he made it plain that news must be based on facts.

Commercial considerations must not kill the noble values media practitioners must practise, he told his audience at the launching of KOSMO!, a tabloid published by the Utusan Group.

His remarks came in the wake of concern in certain quarters about detailed reports of crime and court happenings which they regarded as embarrassing for the people concerned.

In May this year, for example, Malaysians were riveted by the coverage of the trial involving pretty murdered marketing executive Noritta Samsuddin. Many readers lapped up the lurid and graphic details of her sex life as revealed in the trial of engineer Hanif Basree Abdul Rahman, who was accused of murdering her at an upscale apartment last December.

He was later acquitted.

Datuk Seri Abdullah stressed that if independence of the media was used irresponsibly, this would lead to destruction of society and eventually the nation.

He also criticised people who resorted to lies and made charges in their articles against others who may not be in their favour.

'Where is the integrity of the writer if his articles are not aimed at educating the public but to poison the minds of the readers with all sorts of allegations?' he said.

'Where is the responsibility of the writer if the media is used for him to vent his anger or vengeance?'

Datuk Seri Abdullah expressed the hope that the Malaysian media would not neglect the principle of responsibility.

Copyright 1999-2004, Straits Times.  All rights reserved.  No content may be reproduced in whole or part without written permission.  Please contact us via the link below for re-print and syndication policies.