PUTRAJAYA, June 15 — Media literacy among the public needs to be strengthened so that people are better equipped to critically evaluate information and identify misleading content amid the rapid evolution of the digital media landscape, Deputy Communications Minister Teo Nie Ching said.

She said the ability to distinguish between credible information and manipulated content has become increasingly important as society enters a new era driven by generative artificial intelligence (AI), which is reshaping the global media ecosystem.

“By 2030, Malaysia will need a media ecosystem that is more resilient, innovative and trusted,” she said in her keynote address at the industry dialogue themed “Balancing Virality and Responsibility: Journalism Amid Speed, Trust and Impact” here today.

Teo said efforts to strengthen media literacy should be complemented by greater training in AI, digital verification and information security to ensure Malaysian journalists are well prepared for future challenges.

She also called for closer collaboration among the media industry, universities and the government in talent development and research related to media transformation.

Teo noted that content is now produced on an unprecedented scale, making it increasingly difficult for the public to distinguish between accurate information, misleading content and deliberately manipulated narratives.

“The major challenge in the attention economy is that algorithms do not necessarily reward the most accurate or beneficial content. In many cases, they prioritise content that triggers strong emotional reactions,” she said.

Despite growing pressure to deliver news rapidly across multiple platforms, Teo said the fundamental principles of journalism must remain unchanged, with facts needing to be checked, information verified and truth prioritised.

She said media organisations had traditionally competed to be the first to break a story, but the race had become far more demanding as news now travels in real time and audiences expect information to be available instantly.

“When an incident occurs, various versions of the story often circulate online before journalists have the opportunity to verify the facts. In such situations, media organisations face a difficult dilemma. If they are too slow, they risk being seen as lagging. If they are too fast, they risk making mistakes that could undermine their credibility,” she said.

Teo added that the future of the media would not be determined by virality alone, but by its ability to earn and sustain public trust.

“Trust is not built in a day. It is built when the media is willing to acknowledge mistakes and correct them openly. It is built when the media places the public interest above the pursuit of sensationalism,” she said.

She added that the media industry is complex and dynamic, and is best served through responsible self-regulation rather than excessive state intervention.

Teo said this understanding had guided the Madani Government’s efforts to establish the Malaysian Media Council (MMC), which was successfully formed in 2025 after years of discussions and advocacy by industry stakeholders.

On the council’s complaints mechanism, she said Phase Two was implemented on April 8 this year and had already shown encouraging progress, with 14 complaints involving issues such as reporting accuracy, the unauthorised use of images and matters affecting social harmony received in less than two months.

Of the total complaints received, 12 have been resolved, while the remaining cases are under review. — Bernama 

KUALA LUMPUR, June 15 — Former Federal Court judge Tan Sri Nallini Pathmanathan has been appointed chairman of the Malaysian Media Council (MMC), the self-regulatory body established under the Malaysian Media Council Act 2025.

In a statement today, the council said Nallini’s appointment was unanimously endorsed by members of the Malaysian Media Council Board at a meeting on May 26.

The council described the appointment as a significant milestone in strengthening its role as an independent, credible and public interest-driven self-regulatory body for the media industry.

“Her longstanding commitment to judicial independence, the rule of law and access to justice makes her uniquely qualified to lead the council as it begins its role in fostering a free, responsible and self-regulating media in Malaysia,” the statement read. 

Nallini retired from the Federal Court in February after serving 18 years in the judiciary. During that time, she served at all three levels of the superior courts and authored about 325 reported judgments, including landmark decisions in constitutional and commercial law.

She was the first woman of South Asian descent appointed to Malaysia’s superior judiciary and practised law at Skrine for more than two decades before joining the bench. She currently serves as an arbitrator and mediator.

Nallini is also vice-chairman of the International Bar Association Judges’ Forum, a member of the Steering Group of the Standing International Forum of Commercial Courts, and a judge at the Qatar International Court and Dispute Resolution Centre.

Established under the Malaysian Media Council Act 2025, the MMC serves as the media industry’s self-regulatory body, with responsibilities that include strengthening journalistic standards, managing a public complaints mechanism, promoting ethical practices and safeguarding media freedom as a cornerstone of democracy.

The statement said the council, under Nallini’s leadership, would focus on strengthening its institutional framework, implementing its Code of Conduct, developing a fair and trusted complaints mechanism, and enhancing public understanding of the media’s role in a democratic society.

It will also prioritise legal reform initiatives involving the media, journalists and the public’s right to access accurate information, including efforts to promote a clearer and more balanced legal environment in line with the principles of freedom of expression, access to information, journalistic ethics and public interest.

According to the council, the appointment comes at a critical time for the media industry, which faces challenges including economic pressures, technological change, artificial intelligence (AI), misinformation and disinformation, threats against journalists, and the need to rebuild public trust in the media.

“The Malaysian Media Council is confident that Tan Sri Nallini’s leadership will help guide the council into a more mature, independent and credible phase, anchored on three core principles: standards, ethics and freedom,” it said. — Bernama