Balanced Reporting Can Counter Internet Influence ?

Keen competition in news gathering must abide by the journalism tenets to avoid sensitive issues from being highlighted, said Internal Security Deputy Minister Datuk Fu Ah Kiow.

Despite the challenges posed by the Internet, an information superhighway, the mainstream media must not waiver from giving the correct and accurate picture of an event or an incident to the people, he said.

Fu said the media must practise balanced reporting unlike the Internet which had no specific guidelines.

"I hope the prevailing close government-media relations will be maintained for the good of both parties. I am willing to accept criticisms and comments from the media and the people, especially transparent and constructive ideas," he said.


Meanwhile, Wong Chun Wai feels that it was a poor public relations management, that leads to Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor found himself having to clarify that he did not label all women bloggers as liars.

The recent controversy started when Tengku Adnan was asked to respond to a complaint by Indonesian journalist-blogger Nila Tanzil on not being able to shoot and film at various places when she was here for the Flora Fest 2007.

It was a case of one unhappy journalist. After all, Tourism Malaysia invited over 6,000 media journalists and travel agents for its many programmes and we can assume that the majority were satisfied with how things were handled.

But instead of confining the problem and solving it, we have created a bigger hole by allegedly accusing bloggers of being liars and that the majority of bloggers are purportedly unemployed women.

Naturally, the remark angered many bloggers, both men and women, who protested strongly.

This time, the uproar was reported in several newspapers overseas. It was another case of another Malaysian politician shooting himself in the foot, which all seem so familiar by now.

Last week, Tengku Adnan tried to diffuse the controversy by clarifying that he did not mean all bloggers but was referring to the Indonesian journalist.

It’s not a very clever thing to do. It’s hardly good public relations to call someone a liar in public. Tourism Malaysia may have its reasons for running its media programme but as with any operational manner, it should just quickly defend itself with its side of the story to the press when criticised.

There is absolutely no need for anyone to be defensive or upset over Nila’s complaint. No one is suggesting that the ministry or Tourism Malaysia is not doing their job but all complaints should be taken seriously, more so if they are from the media.

There is also nothing wrong in making an apology to the said reporter, who continued to promote Malaysia strongly in her programme despite her unhappiness. In planning and implementation, mistakes can be made. Just rectify the mistakes and move on, it’s that simple.

If guides accompanying the press need to be better trained to meet their job demands, then train them better.

There is no need to take criticisms badly. Some of our politicians or bureaucrats seem incapable of handling such brickbats, preferring to hear things that they want to hear only. Instead of addressing the issues concerned, some have reacted negatively and with intolerance.

To suggest that bloggers have an anti-national agenda simply implies that some of us are still not logged into blogsphere.

Some have yet to see the importance of the New Media, assuming that bloggers are all political commentators, without understanding that many travel writers have embraced the new medium for their writing.

From food reviewers to motoring journalists, many have chosen blogging to gain a bigger audience to complement the print and electronic media that they work in.

It’s a new world but it is still not too late for some of our politicians and bureaucrats to check out blogsphere.

Did you know that Names like tongkat ali, kacip fatimah and misai kucing may not be familiar to the Japanese.

But these herbs with their scientific names, Eurycoma longifolia (tongkat ali), Labisia pumila (kacip fatimah) and Orthosiphon stamineus (misai kucing) are among those that have penetrated the highly competitive Japanese market.

Tongkat ali is well-known in the Southeast-Asian region for its testosterone-enhancing ability to improve desire and sexual initiation :)

Tongkat Ali is also being researched for its possibility as an anti-cancer supplement.

A study by the Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences of Fukuyama University in Japan a few years ago found that anti-hypertensive substance in the leaves of the misai kucing could reduce high blood pressure.