KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia’s diversity is a unique asset that every citizen should be proud of, Deputy Communications Minister Teo Nie Ching said.
However, she warned that the rapid advancement of technology could threaten this if not carefully managed.
“I cannot deny that this is a significant challenge for the government. Not only Malaysia but other countries face the same issue.
“Social media platforms make it difficult for us to address every recipient of a message. With Artificial Intelligence (AI), many are falling victim to social media scams because scammers are also adept at using these platforms,” she pointed out.
Teo said this when appearing as a guest on the Ambang 31@Bernama special programme aired on Bernama TV tonight.
To tackle issues such as fraud and hate speech, Teo said ongoing discussions between the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) and social media operators regarding the implementation of social media licensing were ongoing.
Meanwhile, Bernama Chief Executive Officer Nur-ul Afida Kamaludin said in promoting unity, the country’s media organisations must contend with parties using social media and online platforms to spread divisive and hateful content.
“As the national news agency, we have no issues supporting and assisting the government in these tasks. However, our concern is that we are competing with those using social media and online platforms to spread topics that may lead to division.
“In this regard, I cannot deny that there are parties attempting to exploit opportunities to widen existing divides. It is vital to ensure that the narratives we promote contribute to the unity and well-being of all Malaysians,” she said.
Bernama Editor-in-Chief Arul Rajoo Durar Raj pointed out that journalists today face unprecedented challenges due to the fast-moving nature of social media.
“The media landscape has transformed with social media… Unfortunately, people often place more trust in social media posts.
“By the time mainstream media reports are published, a different narrative may have already taken hold. This is a major concern and challenge for today’s media, especially for journalists,” he said.
