MINISTER WANTS MEDIA TO HIGHLIGHT HUMAN INTEREST STORIES

KUALA KLAWANG (Malaysia), MAY 4 (Bernama) -- Information, Communications and
Culture Minister Dr Rais Yatim wants all the media in the country to
highlight articles and stories on human interest.

He said most of the stories featured on television today portrayed
dignitaries or speeches of certain individuals but rarely on human interest.

"The success story of a Chinese smallholder in a new village who gets aid
froM Risda is one example, but such stories are not aired at all. Another
example is that of an Indian community obtaining success from breeding
goats...such stories also we seldom see.

The focus was always on socio-political speeches, he said, adding: "I'm not
saying that such statements are not important. They are, but the television
stations should realise that we are building a society and and we should project
healthy practices," he told reporters after opening a carnival to mark the 60th
anniversary celebration of Kampung Baru Titi, near here.

He said each programme was assessed on the role it played in keeping the
society better informed besides educating, and ultimately, entertaining the
society.

"We must merge all these three objectives so that a programme is not boring
and at the same time, the local audience feels that it is part of the news,
feature, social, cultural, arts, heritage, educational programme and so forth,"
he said.

As such, he said, the ministry was re-assessing every community-based
programme, especially those on RTM.

Radio [and] Television of Malaysia or RTM is a Malaysian state-owned public
broadcaster. It both owns and operates a number of radio and television stations
in Malaysia

Dr Rais said the ministry would organise workshops with the heads of
broadcasting to find ways to strike a healthy ratio in terms of portraying the
development of the Malaysian society.

He also said that all activities to impart the 1Malaysia concept were being
drawn up so that not only the ministry, but also all the other government
departments had their own role to play.

Besides that, the visits by the Information department to the districts and
villages should send out the message on the importance of the people staying
united in their struggle as the Malaysian race.

"Many people say that the Malaysian race in the eyes of the opposition is
only a dream. In this context, we don't want to change the race, we only want to
unite the Malaysian society towards one struggle so that we can be strong in
terms of the economy, security, social and cultural achievements and the variety
of our joint struggle is moulded into an ideology that forms a strong Malaysian
society," he said.

-- BERNAMA