Sarawak is offering two scholarships for journalists in the state to further develop their journalistic skills to keep pace with the advances made by their peers elsewhere.

Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud said he was happy with the constructive role played by the media here in creating awareness of government policies, efforts and initiatives, and added that there was room for the journalists to improve their skills.

"Journalists should find ways to improve the standard of reporting as it was getting higher and more complex. For a start, I would like to give two scholarships for Sarawak journalists," he said at a media appreciation night here last night.

Taib, who is also Planning and Resource Management Minister, did not disclose details of the scholarship.

The media appreciation night was organised by the state's forestry and timber fraternity - Ministry of Planning and Resource Management, Forest Department of Sarawak, Sarawak Forestry Corporation Sdn Bhd, Sarawak Timber Industry Development Corporation and Harwood Timber Sdn Bhd.

Taib urged the media not to engage in inaccurate reporting, saying this would tarnish the image of Sarawak and might affect the confidence of investors.

"Do not report without fact-finding and investigation. You must always stick to the principles and the truth," he said.

Help gov’t to counter negative propaganda

Meanwhile, Second Planning and Resource Management Minister Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hassan urged the media to help the government counter the negative propaganda of the NGOs, especially the foreign NGOs and their media cohorts who, he said, had been distorting facts about the state's laws, policies and actions.

He said that lately much publicity had been given to native land issues, particularly Native Customary Rights (NCR) claims, by foreign NGOs bent on tarnishing the state's image and inciting the natives against the government in an attempt to upset the racial harmony in the state.

"The negative publicity campaigns are designed to impede the use of our natural resources and retard our state's economic progress by controlling our land use system and policies and cause disunity among our multi-racial population," he said.

Awang Tengah thanked the media for playing a constructive role in creating awareness of government efforts and initiatives and encouraging the public to respond positively by also playing their role, especially to curb illegal logging.

"I know the media has given all government activities and efforts towards conservation, sustainable management and protection of our natural resources adequate publicity," he said.

- Bernama