Perikatan Nasional’s Arau lawmaker Shahidan Kassim today urged the government to restrict the media from publishing reports quoting unnamed sources. 

The ex-Umno strongman said the restriction is justifiable to avoid any misinformation. 

“Why don’t we set a condition that the word ‘source’ cannot be used? Why don’t we restrict stories based on sources?” he asked. 

Shahidan said there were ministers who provided journalists with accurate information but did not want to go on record. 

Responding to Shahidan, Minister of Communications and Multimedia Fahmi Fadzil defended the media’s right to use unnamed sources in their stories as to protect their identities. 

Fahmi said no restrictions would be placed on the media provided their reports were not defamatory. 

“We also take note that journalists have the right to protect their sources’ identities, but this has to be weighed against the issue of defamation,” he said. 

“As an example, television channel Awesome TV reported that based on a source or suggestion, the government plans to dismiss 800,000 civil servants. This is clearly defamatory. 

“At 12.30pm, the SKMM (Communications and Multimedia Commission) will meet with Awesome TV because of these violations, and it has happened before. 

“The government will also meet with Awesome TV soon for a discussion,” he added. – February 20, 2023.