KUALA LUMPUR – The incident involving the Press Secretary to the Minister of Health, Nik Azmi Nik Fathil, who reportedly disparaged members of the media yesterday, should not be repeated.
According to BERSATU Allied Wing Information Chief, Datuk Sri Sanjeevan Ramakrishnan, although the individual involved has apologized and promised that such an incident will not recur, it should serve as a lesson to all.
“The fact is, the media plays a major role in elevating and maintaining the image of everyone, especially ministers and high-ranking officials in government and private agencies. As officials responsible for them, the relationship with the media must be preserved.
“Do not try to direct, comment, or act emotionally; instead, work well with the media, especially in providing what they need to cover your leader. It is strange to think that media practitioners must follow your whims. They do not work for you.
“Media practitioners need to be given sufficient space and freedom in publishing their writings or materials to the public.
“This is also the reason for the decline in Malaysia’s ranking in the 2024 World Press Freedom Index, falling 34 places to 107 compared to 73 last year.”
“The media’s work is not only important but also involves conveying facts, particularly on issues concerning national and public interest. If you (the Press Secretary) do not assist and instead belittle them, how can you expect them to be ethical and report accurately?” he said in a statement.
Sanjeevan referred to complaints received from several media practitioners covering the Launch of the National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS) 2023: Non-Communicable Diseases (NCD) and Healthcare Demand as well as the Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS) Malaysia 2023 at the Ministry of Health Headquarters yesterday (May 16).
Sanjeevan further stated that many issues have arisen, including media freedom, which has often been debated lately. Media practitioners should not be victimized but rather should be given the space to produce reports without “interference.”
“Hopefully, the apology issued by the Press Secretary will have a lasting impact so that such incidents do not recur. Remember, we all need each other. Respect the media practitioners who work tirelessly day and night to provide the best coverage,” he emphasized. – MalayaDailyToday
