KUCHING: Sarawak Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Openg has called on the journalist fraternity in Sarawak to work out a professional framework to maintain and preserve their reputation and integrity.
He said he is leaving it to them to determine if they should have the framework "because when we have high integrity, then our credibility is there."
"There must be rules and regulations and if the information is incorrect, and if there is some agenda behind it, then there must be a penalty imposed for misinformation," he said at the Kenyalang Journalism Awards presentation last night.
He expressed concern that people could write anything they want if there are no rules and regulations governing the dissemination of information.
He said that today's journalism is heavily influenced by artificial intelligence (AI), as it allows journalists to access information at their fingertips.
Abang Johari said unedited information, when it is taken out of context, can create tension among the people.
"We (politicians) have to be a little bit careful because our friends in front of us could be doing live streaming on us without our knowledge and that is where tension can be created if it is not edited," he said.
The premier also said that he is prepared to send journalists, with relevant backgrounds who can attend an executive programme at Cambridge University, United Kingdom, for up to a month or two months.
"As it is an executive programme, you can mix with the international executives and then you can deliberate what is happening around the world and your journalism reports will be of global standards, not just Sarawak standards," he said.
He said he wants Sarawakian reporters to be fully exposed to the information and ways to manage data properly.
He also wants a panel to be formed consisting of a representative each from the Kuching Journalists Association, state government and private sector to select the candidates for the executive programme, adding that the selection of candidates will be fair.
He said he is prepared to send two journalists per year to the programme, with full sponsorship from the state government.
He explained that sending journalists to attend the executive program is similar to the state government sending senior government officers to Cambridge University for the senior executive programme.
He said this kind of programme is not just for the journalists as the subject matters such as economics, social and new dimension so that journalists can upgrade their views and professional quality.
Former TV3 journalist Basri Mohamad, 83, was named Tokoh Wartawan for his contribution to the field of journalism in Sarawak.
The KJA, organised by the Kuching Journalists Association in collaboration with the state government, attracted 390 entries across 10 categories, such as Journalism (Feature and News Feature), News Reporting, Sports Reporting, Broadcast Journalism, Sustainability Journalism, Business and Economic Journalism, Community Well-being Journalism, Photo Journalism, Photo Essay and Digital Economy Journalism.