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01 May 2012| last updated at 10:06PM

Musa: Report positively on state development issues



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KOTA KINABALU: Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman wants the Sabah media fraternity to continue reporting positively on issues of the day, particularly development initiatives and government policies aimed at uplifting livelihoods.

 

He said there was a need to share with the rest of the country that "Sabah is progressing fast and becoming a vibrant state to live and work in". 
 
"The media is not just a powerful medium and a key instrument in boosting overall economic growth, but also acts as an influential agent in social change and is integral in influencing opinion.  
 
"When used responsibly, the media can help to transform a society, providing opportunity for community participation," he said at the Kinabalu Shell Press Awards here tonight.  
 
The text of his speech was read out by Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Joseph Pairin Kitingan. 
 
In this respect, Musa urged the media to use this power responsibly through fair and balanced reporting. 
 
However, he said, there was a need to be cautious when reporting stories based on what was published in blogs, Facebook and Twitter, as not everything the people read online were based on facts. 
 
"Social media is a useful medium to spread important messages on government initiatives but, at the same time, by not having a gatekeeper, it also provides room for wrong information and lies that are spread by those who have their own agenda," he said.  
 
Musa noted that the Sabah media had been responsive and positive in bringing significant and important news to the public, and had helped provide a platform for people to voice their needs or grouses. 
 
He also called on the media to reinforce a good impression of the state by promoting the state, packaging Sabah through words and visuals on its social and economic landscape, attracting not just local and foreign investors but also tourists who contribute to the domestic economy.  
 
Later, he gave away prizes and awards to the winners of the 20th Kinabalu Shell Press Awards. -- BERNAMA 

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