SIBU: Professional journalists are very crucial in preventing the country from turning into a dictatorship.
In stating this, United People’s Party (UPP) Community Service Board chairman Dato Andrew Wong cites North Korea as an example of a dictatorship, where there are virtually no news coming into and out of the country.
“We do not see such things happening in Malaysia,” he spoke at Sibu Journalists Association (SJA)’s Christmas gathering here on Thursday night, where SJA president Wat Zaccaeus and event main sponsor Simon Wee were also present.
Wong also threw a challenge to SJA, to have the journalists here build a network with the young people, especially the college and university students.
He said many of these youngsters want to write and have been posting their articles on Facebook, Twitter or other social media platforms, not knowing the right and proper avenue to do so.
“Hopefully, SJA could train this group of young people and get them involved in journalism.”
Wong said the SJA should also support its members to write what is right and those who have the courage to do so.
However, he also warned of abuse involving social media – a ‘very powerful weapon but if misused, it could also create unwanted elements’, he added.
Wong also called upon local journalists to do their part and run more localised news so that the government and the leaders in Peninsular Malaysia would understand the situation in Sarawak.
“Open your eyes to see what is happening in Sarawak. There is nothing more powerful than having you write and publish it on the newspapers.”