Government agencies must boost media collaboration to rebuild public trust, says Karangkraf advisor
Datuk Muhammad Nasir Hamzah at The National Resilience College Roundtable held at the National Resilience College, Putrajaya, on Wednesday.
PUTRAJAYA – Government agencies must improve their collaboration with the media and their information-sharing practices. This is crucial for restoring public trust in official news, according to Karangkraf Joint Advisor Datuk Muhamad Nasir Hamzah.
Speaking at The National Resilience College in Putrajaya, he highlighted how inconsistent and delayed information from various government ministries and departments can lead to public confusion and misinformation. Datuk Muhammad Nasir Hamzah at The National Resilience College Roundtable held at the National Resilience College, Putrajaya, on Wednesday.
'Sometimes, when an incident occurs, official information is delayed.
"When it does arrive, there are contradictions between one ministry and another or between departments,' he said.
He cited the recent Putra Heights fire in Subang Jaya, Selangor as an example, where a clear explanation only surfaced several days later.
Themed 'A Whole-of-Society Approach to National Security,' the session also featured Lieutenant General Datuk Johnny Lim Eng Seng and discussed the role of media in advancing strategic communication, public trust and societal resilience.
Nasir expressed concern that delays in delivering verified information create opportunities for social media to dominate public perception, even when the content is false.
He warned that artificial intelligence (AI) now poses new challenges in identifying the authenticity of news content.
To address these issues, he proposed the establishment of a centralised, strategic media communication office to coordinate messages from government agencies before sharing them with the public.
'We need a media liaison office to coordinate statements from various agencies before they are shared with journalists and the public.
"If information is delayed or inconsistent, it can cause confusion and various speculations.
'If the appointed officer lacks a background in media, it makes the communication process more difficult, when in fact media is a crucial instrument, not only for the government, but for the well-being of the people," he said.
He stressed the need for the government to invest in public communication infrastructure continuously.
'The government must ensure that public communication infrastructure is constantly improved.
"If that does not happen and the people continue relying on social media as their main source, then it is a warning sign that must be taken seriously.
'Public trust can only be built through the dissemination of information that is accurate, prompt and responsible," he added.
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