A Sabah leader has cautioned media practitioners in the state against 'selling' erroneous information for publicity.

Sabah executive councillor Sapawi Ahmad acknowledged journalists as important partners in nation building, but said flawed news reports could lead to disorder and destruction of a civilisation.

Hence, Sapawi said, journalists must have a sense of responsibility and abide by the code of ethics to which they are bound when churning out news reports, meant to educate and produce a civilised, informed and harmonious society.

"Be a conscientious and dynamic journalist, as well as an advocate of peace and at the same time be mindful that you do not become a deliverer of erroneous news reports which could fire confusion.

"I hope journalists in Sabah will always look at an issue comprehensively, fairly, taking into consideration public interest and not from the aspect of sensationalism," he said at the Young Journalist Award ceremony in Kota Kinabalu last night.

The inaugural award presentation in the state was organised jointly by the Information Department and Yayasan Sabah Group to appreciate media practitioners in Sabah and encourage young journalists to produce quality news reports.

Other officials at the function besides Sapawi, who is also Yayasan Sabah Group director, were Information Department director-general Ibrahim Abdul Rahman and Sabah Information acting director Yunus Saprin.

- Bernama