MEDIA ASKED TO DO BALANCED REPORTING ON H1N1

KUALA LUMPUR, June 30 (Bernama) -- The Tourism Ministry has asked the media
to ensure balanced reporting on the Influenza A(H1N1) outbreak in the country so
as not to jeopardise the tourism industy.

Its minister Ng Yen Yen said as a result of reports being blown
out of proportion, tourist arrivals from China, Japan, Hong Kong and Taiwan
dropped by 20 per cent this month compared to last month, besides 2,000 tour
packages from Tokyo being cancelled.

She said the media should have highlighted the fact that although Malaysia
was affected, there had been no deaths because of the virus and the reality was
that the situation was not that serious.

"With today's technology, what is written can be read in Shanghai and
Beijing almost immediately, hence the need for balanced reporting," she told
reporters after chairing a crisis management meeting on tourism at the Putra
World Trade Centre here.

Representatives from Malaysian Airlines (MAS), AirAsia, Malaysian
Association of Travel and Tour Agents (Matta), airlines from China and Yemen,
Information Ministry, Transport Ministry, Information Communication and Culture
Ministry and the hotel industry attended the meeting, aimed at addressing issues
arising out of the outbreak of Influenza A (H1N1), also known as swine flu.

-- BERNAMA