Sarawak media practitioners can do much more by presenting the true facts about the state and country, Sarawak Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud said in Kuching last night.

He said it had increasingly become a real challenge to give correct and truthful information to the local people as the globalised world also brought elements of popular causes like human rights, environment and hosts of other things that were not issues in the state.

"Obviously we have to counter the adverse publicity by telling the truth about ourselves," he said in his speech for the Kenyalang Shell Press Awards 2013.

The text of his speech was read out by Sarawak Deputy Chief Minister Alfred Jabu. 

Taib said Sarawak had been criticised relentlessly for raping the environment in spite of the fact that Sarawak is being acknowledged by professional bodies as having one of the best policies on timber.

"No matter what we say, it will continue. The reason is simple, we have emerged from obscurity to somewhat having a little light shown on us," he said.

Change the minds of the people

Taib said the journalists should develop a sense of discipline to build sufficient interests to disseminate correct information of their country and society.

"We need to change the minds of the people who are exposed to different ideas both from inside and outside the country, from the old to the new era of development," he added.

Meanwhile, Borneo Post general operations manager Phyllis Wong was accorded the Kenyalang Shell Journalism Laureate 2013 award at the ceremony, which saw the local daily taking the lion's share of the awards won.

- Bernama