KUALA LUMPUR: The Education Ministry will be offering scholarships to media practitioners to further their studies in local public universities soon.
Its minister, Dr Maszlee Malik, described the initiative as a form of recognition of the contribution of media practitioners in building the New Malaysia under the Pakatan Harapan administration after the 14th general election last year.
The initiative, he said, is the result of his discussion with representatives of the Qatar-based Al Jazeera media network, which had agreed to collaborate with the ministry through Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) and International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM).
“We want to invite media practitioners to take this opportunity to expand their talent right up to the global stage. Make the nation proud. We want to see more Malaysians appearing (as broadcast journalists and newscasters) in international television networks.
“I will announce the details of the programme soon,” he said during the MPI-Petronas Malaysian Journalism Awards 2018 on Friday night.
Petroliam Nasional Bhd president and chief executive officer, Tan Sri Wan Zulkiflee Wan Ariffin; Malaysian Press Institute chief executive officer Datuk Dr Chamil Wariya; and the prime minister’s special adviser on media and communications, Datuk A. Kadir Jasin were also present.
Also in attendance was Media Prima Bhd news and editorial operations executive director Mustapha Kamil Mohd Janor, who is also New Straits Times Press (NSTP) interim chief executive officer.
Maszlee said media networks and publications play a pivotal role as the main source of information to educate the people.
“The existence of a knowledge community and independent media institutions is the benchmark of democratic maturity of the country. Apart from educating, informing and entertaining the public, the media also plays an important role in providing checks and balances for the three components of the country, which is the legislative, executive and judiciary bodies.
“This is crucial to ensure the nurturing of democracy and avoidance of abuse of power,” he said.
The government, said Maszlee, is committed to further strengthening media freedom in the country and will be reviewing laws which curtail freedom of the press.
He added that the Communications and Multimedia Ministry is in the process of establishing the Malaysian Media Council, which will act as a self-regulatory body.