New Information Minister to engage bloggers, meeting set in few weeks

KUALA LUMPUR, Fri:

Newly-appointed Information Minister Datuk Ahmad Shabery Cheek wants to meet bloggers. He wants to better understand their role in nation building.

Ahmad Shabery, speaking at his first press conference at the ministry yesterday, is making the meeting his agenda, ad requested by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

“In a few weeks, we will invite all the bloggers for a meeting, to better understand their sentiments and provide them an avenue to express themselves,” he said.

Ahmad Shabery said the government had come to recognise the role of alternate media like the Internet and blogs, which enjoyed uncensored freedom of expression and a large following.

“This was evident especially in the run-up to the recent general election where the public logged on to the Internet to gain real-time information, instead of relying on government-run, private and even foreign television news like CNN and Al-Jazeera,” he said. “Internet news from bloggers is popular and easily accessible from anywhere and anytime. The same is happening in the United States in the run-up to their presidential campaign,” he said, referring to the middle-class majority who appeared to have cast protest votes against the Barisan Nasional government.
Asked if his ministry would invite bloggers who appeared to be inclined with the Opposition, Ahmad Shabery said: “We have to be realistic and sincere. Their views may differ from us. They are not companies but individuals who have a new spectrum of ideals. If there is something newsworthy, I don’t see anything wrong in them publishing it.”

The ministry would also review the content of television news to better suit viewers, especially the vernacular following, he said. “While we will continue with the policies of the previous administration, we will be more transparent and are open for changes to improve on any weaknesses,” he said.

--NST