Get valid news sources, don’t depend on viralled information — Zulkefli

KUALA LUMPUR: The people must be smart in choosing the sources of valid and accurate news instead of depending on information spread merely by distributors of viraled information.

Malaysian National News Agency ( Bernama) General Manager Datuk Zulkefli Salleh said the ‘ viraled news’ phenomenon among the netizens was certainly a form of competition that could not be avoided by the mainstream media practitioners but the community must be smart in making their choice.

“We recognise the rights of any individual in implementing the concept of ‘citizen journalism’ and ‘viral distributors’. It’s just that in Malaysia, the aspect of their accuracy could be disputed.

“The community must know that there will be groups who will viral a particular news for their own benefits or that of a particular group, but they must be smart in evaluating where the source of the information had come from in order to make an accurate decision,” he told Bernama after addressing the meeting of Bernama Bureau Chiefs and State Correspondents, here yesterday.

Zulkefli said that in facing this competition, Bernama, as a news agency, would maintain its role to widely spread the information and strongly hold on to the valid source of information so that society could make the actual comparison.

Commenting on the preparation to face the coming general election ( GE), Zulkefli said appropriate information would be supplied widely not only to the clients but also members of the public.

“We want the democratic proses ( GE) to run smoothly because it is crucial for the community to enable them to make a smart and accurate choice. They need adequate information so that they will not regret later,” he said.

Zulkefli said Bernama would carry out a survey to find out the views of the people on the GE and their stand in choosing the government.

“Information from the survey will be translated into a report. It is also another alternative to the groups needing information for reference and study. This will be carried out as soon as possible,” he added. — Bernama