Wednesday, May 28, 2008

WEDNESDAY-28TH MAY 2008- GOVT TO PAY MORE ATTENTION TO INTERNET MEDIA, SAYS NAJIB


Govt to pay more attention to internet media, says Najib

KUALA LUMPUR:

Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said yesterday the Government would give more attention to the non-conventional media of Internet websites and blogs to ensure that the people receive accurate information. This was most necessary as the impact of this so-called new media on the people was evident in the last general election, he said during a question-and-answer session at the Asia Media Summit 2008, here. Najib earlier read out the keynote address of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi at the event. “We will certainly introduce the new dimension in terms of winning over public opinion. One of the aspects that perhaps we have overlooked is how to manage the new media. “I have to admit, frankly, that we have underestimated their role and I have to admit that we are not ‘tech savvy’ to tackle this and utilise the impact of the new technology,” he said. On remarks raised by an American participant on freedom of speech and human rights in Malaysia, Najib said the United States should look at itself first before criticising others. He said the United States, which has been projecting an image of a democratic country, was guilty of abuses especially in Guantanamo Bay, a US detention centre in Cuba. “In the name of national security, there have been violations of human rights and even abuse. So please, criticise the US Government and ask them to close Guantanamo Bay,” he said. - Bernama