CYBERJAYA: The media can serve as a powerful tool to disseminate information provided by the government, and it should practise greater responsibility when reporting.
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail said it was also vital for the government and the media to work together and have a better understanding of their roles, especially when delivering information.
“The pen is mightier than the sword. Whatever you write, whether good or bad, can be of important impact.
“If we understand better our respective roles and expectations, then we can do so much better. We (government) hope for a greater understanding. Yes, we have differences in our roles, but I just want your understanding.
“You can criticise, but you must also look at the facts. You can question, but remember that with power comes responsibility,“ she said during a ‘Deputy Prime Minister Hi-Tea with the Media’ here, today.
Wan Azizah said she understood the challenges of the media, particularly in obtaining information from government leaders and officials and to meet deadlines, but that it should always deliver stories that were balanced.
She added that this government-media cooperation could prove to be pivotal in the building of a New Malaysia to ensure no one got left behind.
Wan Azizah also commended the media for the role it has played over the past few years in making exposes including those involving the multi-billion ringgit 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) scandal.
