Report 'feel good' stories, PM tells media
Malaysiakini.com
Dec 7, 2006

Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has called on the media to provide greater coverage concerning the nation’s development projects and coming 50th Merdeka celebrations.

On the same note, he said there should not be too much reporting on vice and disaster related incidents in order to avoid giving foreigners a negative impression.

According to sources, Abdullah told this to editors from the print and electronic media during a briefing at the Prime Minister’s Department in Putrajaya.

Also present were officials from satellite television station Astro and media conglomerate, Media Prima.

The briefing session, separated into two groups - one for Chinese newspapers and the other for the rest - was similar to the briefing held last month with the editor-in-chiefs of all newspapers.

Sources said Abdullah told the editors that he had instructed Education Minister Hishammuddin Hussein to ensure national unity is being fostered in primary schools.

He said mother-tongue languages such as Mandarin and Tamil are being taught in national schools to attract non-Malay parents to send their children there as a step to promote national unity.

However, the premier lamented that the number of non-Malay pupils in national schools is still low.

Racial sentiments

Abdullah also said politicians who play up racial sentiments to garner political support are a threat towards national unity.

Umno leaders, including Hishammuddin who is the party Youth chief, had come under fire for raising racial issues and brandishing the keris (traditional Malay dagger) during the party’s recent general assembly.

In the previous briefing on Nov 22, the Internal Security Ministry, which is headed by Abdullah, had asked the media not to report on sensitive issues such as the demolition of the Tou Mu Kong temple in Penang and the racist remarks raised at the Umno meet.

Abdullah also met with editors on June 26 amid the scathing criticisms from his predecessor Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

Following this, the former premier’s attacks were downplayed in the mainstream media.

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