Malaysia deputy minister stresses media literacy amid citizen journalism surge

Media literacy is an essential skill for today’s news consumers, according to Deputy Minister of Communications and Digital Teo Nie Ching. As information is now widely accessible, and individuals can easily become citizen journalists or content creators on social media platforms, the ability to discern accurate information is crucial.

Teo Nie Ching emphasised the importance of the public learning how to obtain, consume, and read information from reliable sources. This skill allows individuals to make informed decisions based on accurate information. She spoke on this subject as a guest panelist for the “State of the Media: Freedom Isn’t Free” dialogue held by the Foreign Correspondents Club of Malaysia.

Teo also urged the public to exercise caution when consuming information from both traditional and social media platforms, as content creators may present biased views on certain topics. She highlighted the need for understanding the motives behind media entities taking particular stances on issues, which is not uncommon in Malaysia.

“Even though we know the reason why they take the stand, that does not mean they are completely unreliable; it’s for us (readers) to have different sources of information so we obtain a more informed opinion and decision,” she said.