MALAYSIAN GOVT URGED TO EDUCATE THE PEOPLE ON IMPORTANCE OF MEDIA LITERACY

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 9 (Bernama) - The Malaysian government has been urged to
educate the people on the importance of media literacy in understanding any
issue that may arise.

The Chief Executive Officer of Mind Development Institute (INMIND), Norizan
Sharif, said this was important in efforts to inculcate a culture that utilised
the media in a prudent and responsible manner.

He said that in the context of using the social media, an individual not
only received information but also wrote articles.

"The weakness prevailing in the country as well as in many other places is
that the government develops the information infrastructure and information
technology without equipping the people with media literacy.

"Internet accessibility in our country has reached 18 million people...this
is an encouraging achievement but despite this success, there are no efforts
made towards achieving media literacy," he said when interviewed on the 'Hot
Seat Programme', produced by Bernama Radio24.

At the same time, Norizan also suggested that the existing newspapers gave
wider space for articles written by bloggers instead of quoting certain phrases
only.

-- BERNAMA