United Pasokmomogun Kadazandusun Murut Organisation (Upko) deputy president Wilfred Bumburing has urged members of the media in Sabah to maintain their professionalism in disseminating facts and information to the people.

He said the mass media should never be entrapped in their own understanding of the political landscape.

"The passion for writing and reporting should be based on your professional ethics as dispensers of public information, guided by a strong sense of democratic principles," he said in Kota Kinabalu today.

Bumburing said he was happy that local media personnel in Sabah had shown true professionalism in carrying out duties and responsibility, thus ensuring Malaysians in Sabah continuously fed with the highest form of ethical reporting.

"This augurs well for Sabah as far as journalism is concerned and what's more, our society is now generally educated," he said, adding that Sabah was probably the best example in the practice of press freedom in the country.

Loved by some, hated by others

He said in this era of science and technology and wide usage of the Internet, media influence had grown exponentially.

"Political parties now depend heavily on the dissemination of information to propagate their agenda and struggles and it is in this bastion that the mass media personnel finds their profession at its best," he said.

As such, Bumburing, who is Tuaran member of Parliament, said the position of the media personnel had been elevated to be on par with that of a celebrity, respected and loved by the public and "perhaps sometimes incur their wrath and hatred as well".

- Bernama