Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein said some bloggers, unlike local journalists, do not adhere to the rules and ethics of journalism in their bid to garner popularity.

bagan pinang by election nomination 031009 hishammuddin hussein "The local journalists adhered to ethics but these bloggers did not, and this was what differentiated the journalists from these bloggers," he said at the presentation of the 2009 ExxonMobil Journalism Awards in Kuala Terengganu last night.

Hishammuddin said journalists in the country would have nothing to fear so long as their reports adhered to the ethics of journalism, adding that they would be accepted by the people.

He said journalists who reported the truth would not be penalised and those who spread slander would not be successful.

At the function, two Bernama journalists were among those honoured. Wan Affandi Wan Mahadi of Bernama TV was awarded the second prize (RM1,000 cash) in the audio visual category while Ibrahim Abu Bakar won the third prize (RM750) in the sports writing category.

Najib wants adherence to code

Hishammuddin's remarks come just days after Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak called on bloggers to adhere to a new set of bloggers' code of ethics espoused by an American journalists' association.

NONE Najib, referring to the code based on the US-based Society of Professional Journalists' code of ethics for bloggers, said bloggers should be honest and fair in gathering, reporting and interpreting information.

He also said that they should never plagiarise and publish information they know is inaccurate.

Najib further added that bloggers should show good taste and avoid pandering to lurid curiosity.

"I find such standards critical to developing a respectful and productive dialogue, and will endeavour to adhere to them as best as I can," he wrote in his blog .

It must be noted that Najib and his wife Rosmah Mansor had come under intense attack among some bloggers, especially over their alleged involvement in the death of Mongolian Altantuya Shaariibuu and other related matters, accusations which have been denied many times by Najib.