Bukit Aman’s CID chief says media partnership is vital for public trust and effective crime reporting as criminal activities evolve in complexity.
KUALA LUMPUR: The media plays a crucial role in strengthening public confidence in enforcement agencies amid an increasingly complex crime landscape.
Bukit Aman Criminal Investigation Department (CID) director Datuk M. Kumar said the evolution of crime from physical to digital and from local to cross-border requires closer cooperation.
“We cannot deny that the crime landscape today is becoming more complex, and in this context, the media plays an important role, not only in conveying information to the public, but also in shaping public perception and the level of confidence in enforcement agencies, particularly the CID,” he said.
He made these remarks while speaking at a CID iftar event with members of the Crime Journalists Association (CiJA) at the Bukit Aman Officers’ Mess.
Kumar stressed that timing and approach in crime reporting must be carefully considered to protect public interest and ongoing investigations.
He said this is to avoid major implications for the justice process and public safety.
“In carrying out this responsibility, we must realise that timing is everything. We need to be wise in assessing what should be said and when the most appropriate time is to convey it, so that public interest is not affected,” he said.
He added that authorities and media must evaluate the current situation and public sentiment when delivering information.
The choice of words used in conveying such information is also paramount, he noted.
