Fahmi: 'Community Media Madani' will explain govt policies

A Community Media Madani will be set up comprising parties that support the government to ensure the dissemination of authentic information about government policies to the people.

Communications and Multimedia Minister Fahmi Fadzil said the initiative is relevant and will be activated after considering the recent revelation of efforts by certain people to discredit the efforts and initiatives of the government through systematic manipulation on social media platforms.

“Among the objectives and purpose of setting up the Community Media Madani is to ensure we can enhance our relationship and cooperation.

“Through close rapport with each other, a lot of objectives can be achieved and we can easily and quickly cross-check a number of issues and respond quickly to any matters that arise,” he told reporters during the Budget 2024 Forum at the World Trade Centre in Kuala Lumpur last night.

Fahmi (above), who is also the unity government’s strategic communications committee chairperson, said attacks launched at the government through social media come from various channels and can happen anytime.

Therefore, the Communications and Multimedia Ministry has initiated several measures to keep such issues in check, including calling up those handling the social media platform who have all this while failed to offer their cooperation to the government.

“The aim is not to pressure or vindicate anyone but we want to ensure media freedom and freedom of speech exist and can be enjoyed but not spreading malicious content or manipulative in nature or baseless accusations.

“Most importantly, matters related to policies of the government are undermined by raising non-existent issues which can result in causing unwarranted hysteria among the community,” he said.

Meanwhile, Umno information chief Azalina Othman Said in her speech said the Community Media Madani is being set up as a platform to ensure the progress of the party by feeding authentic information about the Madani government.

“The Community Media Madani that we intend to initiate at state levels is for the party machinery to obtain information that is authentic so that we can channel such information to overcome wrong political perception.

“What is important is to receive authentic and truthful information because some information is biased in nature and can confuse the people,” said Azalina, who is Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform).

- Bernama