M'SIAN HOME MINISTER TICKS OFF UNPROFESSIONAL NEWSPAPER PUBLISHERS

PETALING JAYA (Malaysia), Aug 17 (Bernama) -- Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein Monday took to task newspaper publishers who were not professional in their work and resorted to sensationalism based on ulterior motives.

He said this matter called for serious attention because the nation needed
newspaper publishers who were able to mould the thinking of the people for the
good and not based on sectarian interests or the vested interests of certain
quarters.

He said sometimes news items, features, editorials, news analyses or letters to
the editor were published without taking into consideration the sensitivities of
others or a certain race and with sensational headings that deviate from the
real news at hand.

"There are publishers who push the responsibility to the writers of letters by
inserting disclaimers when it is they who decide on the heading to be used and
sensationalise an issue to influence the thinking of the people," he told
reporters after making a working visit to the Sin Chew Daily's office here
Monday.

"Current issues, daily issues and seasonal ones will continue to happen but the
core issues related to nationbuilding which involves all of us, irrespective of
whether rich or poor, colour of one's skin or religion is the agenda that has to
be understood by all," he said.
-- BERNAMA