Dialogue better way of addressing Fahmi’s concerns: media veterans

KUALA LUMPUR – Communications and Digital Minister Fahmi Fadzil’s recent rebuke of a “slanderous” Facebook post by a news agency has incited mixed reactions from veteran media practitioners. 

Malaysian Press Institute chief executive Datuk Chamil Wariya opined that the post by Berita Harian, which featured the headline of an article on analysts predicting a hike in the overnight policy rate, should not be seen as an attempt to criticise the government. 

Admitting that while there is a “tendency” in the media world to sensationalise headlines, content consumers, including ministers, should inspect the related article before accusing a news company of slander.   

“There was no need (for Fahmi) to say that the headline (by Berita Harian) was slanderous. I don’t think that they had slanderous intentions,” he said when contacted by The Vibes. 

As long as the media does not produce reports that affect national security, there is no issue. 

“Anyone who comes across a headline and finds it misleading should first read the whole article to see if the headline reflects the contents of the story,” he added, noting that the article had also quoted reliable sources who are known experts in the economic field. 

He also cautioned the government against making “much ado about nothing” as authorities have much bigger concerns to focus on, such as tackling the rising cost of living. 

Even if reports or analysts are critical towards our administration, the government must work towards increasing its tolerance towards accepting such views maturely.” 

Advocating for the long-awaited establishment of a Malaysian Media Council, Chamil said that the existence of the body would provide a platform for aggrieved parties to voice their complaints if they feel wronged by news reports. 

“By having a standard code of ethics accepted by all media personnel, the level of professionalism among journalists in our country can be heightened,” he stressed. 

Expressing similar sentiments, former Malaysiakini chief executive Premesh Chandran said that the formation of the media council would encourage healthy dialogue between the government and members of the media. 

“This will resolve issues and allow the media to play their role effectively in reporting news accurately,” he said, adding that Fahmi’s concern over the Berita Harian headline can be attributed to the government’s worry that misleading reports can cause damage to the country. 

However, he also said that while headlines – which tend to be short and direct – might not capture the nuances of an article, they should not be considered slander unless they are deliberately misleading or contradictory to the report. 

Meanwhile, National Press Club president Datuk Ahirudin Attan said that Fahmi’s meeting with Berita Harian group editor Datuk Ahmad Zaini Kamaruzzaman and the senior management of Media Prima yesterday was noteworthy and ensured an equal exchange of opinions. 

“As much as Fahmi had the chance to tell Zaini what bothered him, (the latter) also had the opportunity to explain to the minister how the newsroom works.

“This includes the rush to meet deadlines and the pressure of competing with non-journalists beating us to the readership because they don’t care about ethics and lawsuits,” he told The Vibes. 

He also said that while Fahmi’s concern over potentially misleading headlines is understandable, the Lembah Pantai MP should have considered a better alternative to air his grouses instead of displaying his dissatisfaction on Facebook. 

At times, we (journalists) can resort to a bit of sensationalism, especially when subjects such as economics, finance, and science are cold and involve too much jargon. 

“The minister’s concerns are justified, but I don’t think using Facebook to address this issue is for the best. Instead, he should have regular meetings with the editors of news agencies,” he suggested. 

On the other hand, speaking to The Vibes, national journalism laureate Tan Sri Johan Jaafar deemed Fahmi’s actions as a display of the minister’s “immaturity and lack of understanding of the media.”  

“When was the last time a headline was an issue for any minister? Why should a headline become a continuous matter?” he questioned. 

“The headline is just a glimpse into the content of an article, which has gone through fact-checking since publication agencies are aware that they have to work within legal parameters,” he added. 

He also recalled Pakatan Harapan’s promise to ensure press freedom, stating: “We will not move forward (towards achieving press freedom) if you (ministers) start getting unnecessarily annoyed over certain headlines.” – The Vibes, April 2, 2023