The inclusiveness of the 1Malaysia concept should be promoted in the media to be sensitive to the feelings of the various communities, according to the Government Transformation Programme (GTP) roadmap.

newspaper coverage sudden balanced view coverage of opposition headline 120308 The roadmap launched by Prime Minister Najib Razak today stressed the need to instil journalistic professionalism by taking into account the divergent background of the country.

"While censorship is anti-ethical to democracy, there is a need to introduce, instil and internalise a commitment to journalistic professionalism, a sense of responsibility and self-restraint, with sensitivity to the divergent views and feelings of the divergent communities in Malaysia," it said.

It noted that there was a concern that some writers abuse the existing greater freedom of expression by using racist or inflammatory terms, particularly in the easily transmitted electronic media, that could provoke larger segments of the people.  

Barriers to unity

The roadmap said the print and electronic media had thrived in four major languages - Bahasa Malaysia, Chinese, English and Tamil - while Kadazan-Dusun and Iban-Dayak supplements were included in some Bahasa Malaysia and English newspapers in Sabah and Sarawak.

While the English language press catered to readers of all ethnic backgrounds, the Bahasa Malaysia, Chinese and Tamil publications tend to cater to their respective ethnic communities, it noted.

This had kept Malaysians of various ethnicities well-informed and was an advantage to the country.

However, ethnocentric reporting could raise barriers among the races and affect the promotion of understanding and unity, said the roadmap.

- Bernama