Najib hails Utusan Malaysia
The Prime Minister hailed the Umno-owned Utusan Malaysia today for its ethical and unbiased reporting.
The Umno president also praised Utusan for being the voice of the people, especially the Malay community.
“Utusan is known for its trademark and its trademark is to voice the desire of the people, especially the Malay community,” he said in his speech during a breaking of fast function at Sri Utusan Printing Complex here.
However Datuk Seri Najib Razak warned that the media must not only report ethically but also responsibly.
“I hope that we will not only voice the rights of only the Malay community but for the other races as well. When we want to defend rights (of a community), we must also discuss about responsibility,” he said.
He also urged the media to play an important role to shape the nation into 1 Malaysia.
“Media has the responsibility to help in the journey travelled by Malaysia.
The journey which seeks common understanding, openness in thinking. The journey which will also test our struggle.
“If in this journey, we bring chaos and sentiments without looking at the bigger perspective then the journey will go through many difficulties,” he said.
The government aims to engage more with the media because “the era of government knows everything is over.”
“We will interact with the press so that the press will understand the thinking of the government and the direction the government is taking.
“The press will play its part in building a Malaysia which is more prosperous,” he said.
Utusan Malaysia has been criticised for being used to attack the opposition and ratcheting up racial tensions.
The Umno-owned newspaper was also responsible for running daily stories criticising calls to allow former communist leader Chin Peng to return to Malaysia, linking it to what the newspaper says are moves to question Malay rights.
The paper also suggested that DAP is anti-Islam and said Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim was willing to betray the Malays to be prime minister — both incendiary subjects in mainly Malay Muslim Malaysia.
