Use accurate headlines, Pahang MB tells media

LIPIS - Pahang Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail advises the media to use accurate headlines to discourage individuals from misinterpreting the actual news content.

He also said that netizens should be smart in evaluating news by reading the entirety of the report regarding an issue and not simply basing it on the title.

“Titles such as those raise misunderstanding and confusion among the public leading to various perceptions and narratives that the farmers won the court case,” he said on Thursday referring to a news report relating to the Kuantan High Court decision involving musang king farmers.

Wan Rosdy said this to reporters after the 2023 Kick-Off Pahang Pride Kid Programme at the Kuala Lipis Hospital.

He said it was important for the public to read the contents and attempt to gain views from other credible parties as sources.

“Read the entire report or search for information from several credible sources before making any evaluations and interpretations.

“I advise all netizens not to just read the title, sometimes we would read titles such as ‘Meaningful Victory for Musang King Farmers’, if you read the title, it could be interpreted as the state government losing in the case and such,” he explained.

State Communication and Multimedia, Youth, Sports and Non-Government Bodies Exco Fadzli Mohamad Kamal said the Kuantan High Court decision previously related to the interlocutory application (preliminary objection) of the Royal Pahang Durian Resources PKPP Sdn Bhd (RPDR-PKPP).

He said the application was for the dismissal of the proceedings on the grounds that the attorneys for the farmers involved failed to file documents to represent all applicants.

“The decision had nothing to do with the judicial review application, the date of which has not yet been set by the court,” he said.

He said there have been various perceptions and narratives that thought the farmers won in the court hearing regarding their claim to obtain permission for a judicial application against the land vacating notice issued by the state government.

“The state government is open to the views of all parties, but news reports that receive public attention must be based on facts and not cause provocation and misunderstanding,” he said.