MINISTER STRIVES TO MAKE MINISTRY MORE EFFECTIVE

KUALA LUMPUR, April 14 (Bernama) -- Despite wide-ranging in scope, the
Information, Communications, Arts and Culture Ministry will be able to execute
its functions more effective by dividing the tasks correctly, said its minister,
Dr Rais Yatim.

He said the ministry would beef up its "thinkers" and formulate clearer
polices and instructions to ensure its effectiveness.

Rais said he would give his deputies, Joseph Salang Gandum and Senator Heng
Seai Kie specific tasks to make the ministry more efficient.

"We do not have to change the ministry's philosophy. The ministry has more
sting with the enforcement of the Communications and Multimedia Act, and the
role of the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission.

"With the powers vested in the ministry, it will make nation building
easier," he told reporters at the handing over of duties ceremony at Angkasapuri
(the main office of Radio and Television Malaysia) here Tuesday.

Rais takes over from Ahmad Shabery Cheek who has been appointed Youth and
Sports Minister.

Rais, who was Information Minister from 1984 to 1986, said although there
was hardly any difference in the ministry's functions during his tenure and now,
what was more pertinent was enhancing the quality of services to the people.

"The ministry will champion the use of Bahasa Melayu, uphold the National
Language Act and help realise the 1Malaysia concept advocated by the prime
minister," he said.

Rais said the integration of the communication divisions would enable the
ministry to expand the enforcement of the Communications and Multimedia Act to
encompass private television and radio networks.

The feedback from the people will be of great value to the ministry in
formulating its policies, he said, adding that officers would be trained to
acquaint themselves with the policies.

On the proliferation of the new media, he said the ministry would not be
taking hasty actions against government critics as long as they did not flout
the Communications and Multimedia Act.

"We are planning to hold a briefing session on the act for bloggers. If they
do not heed the advice, we will be firm on them.

"To implement a policy, we have to be firm. But the legal redress will be
our last resort," he said.

Rais divided bloggers into three types -- one who wrote the truth, another
who exploited the sentiment of the people, and the last one, who churned out
inaccurate facts and made wild allegations.

"The third type of bloggers are breaking the law. When the law is not
respected, the country will be in disarray. I plan to enlighten the bloggers on
the act when I meet them soon," he said.
-- BERNAMA