SHAH ALAM: Media practitioners are urged to chase the truth and verify facts rather than fight to be the first in reporting and make the truth secondary.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak said news are disseminated fast without verifying accuracy in a race to make it viral and form perception and this becomes a problem when it is inaccurate as it will be very difficult to change.
"People chase news to become the first to disseminate news to make it viral and form perception, and not verify facts and accuracy. Accuracy becomes secondary.
"Once perception is formed, it is very difficult to remove," he said at a breaking-of-fast event hosted by Kumpulan Media Karangkraf, here, this evening.
Also present were Prime Minister's wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, Communication and Multimedia minister Datuk Ahmad Shabery Cheek, Media Prima independent non executive chairman Tan Sri Johan Jaafar, Media Prima group managing director Datuk Seri Amrin Awaluddin, Media Prima group managing editor, news and current affairs, Datuk Mohd Ashraf Abdullah, New Straits Times Press chief executive officer Datuk Mohammad Azlan Abdullah, NSTP group managing editor Datuk Abdul Jalil Hamid, New Straits Times group editor Mustapha Kamil, NST deputy group editor Yushaimi Maulud Yahya.