'Freedom of information is like right to enjoy food'

'Freedom of information is like right to enjoy food'

2008/05/18

KUALA LUMPUR: Information dissemination to society cannot be controlled as it is a right to free flow of information, says Information Minister Datuk Ahmad Shabery Cheek. He said openness in channelling information is akin to the people's right to enjoy food.

"If you limit their food intake, they will starve. There are good and bad food, so people have to evaluate and make choices for their own well-being.

"In the context of current information technology advancement, openness should not be feared as a free media will not necessarily have disastrous effects on a party or ruling government," he said after delivering a public lecture on "New Challenges in Managing Media and Information in Malaysia" here yesterday.

"For example, in Sabah, the media has more liberty, but the ruling party still won a majority of seats in the general election."

He also reminded on the need for such openness to be implemented gradually to prevent society from getting a cultural shock.

He said the openness should make the government more responsible and conscientious in convincing the people that they had made the right choice, besides educating them on the importance of choosing sound and suitable information.

Ahmad Shabery said the ministry itself had started to be more open and had invited the alternative media to participate in interview programmes, while the choice of news was based on the value and not the people behind the news.

He said the openness in channelling information was more evident now with the government expanding the broadband capacity.

"This means that in principle, the government has allowed and facilitated free information flow, whereas in some countries there is a total clamp.

On complaints from the alternative media of their not being able to get media accreditation cards to enable them to cover parliament sittings, he said the matter would be looked into. - Bernama

 

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