IGP to meet Sinar Harian over erroneous infographic

Inspector-General of Police Khalid Ismail will meet the Malay daily Sinar Harian following the publication of an erroneous infographic claiming that he was a PKR member.
The New Straits Times reported him as saying that the media outlet requested the meeting.
"The media outlet concerned has asked me...

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Sinar Daily

an hour ago

• Sinar Daily

Publishing errors should be resolved constructively

It also cautioned against the use of heavy-handed or disproportionate measures by authorities in responding to such errors adding that invoking punitive laws to penalise the press undermined media freedom. Inspector-General of Police Datuk Seri Mohd Khalid Ismail - Photo by Bernama SHAH ALAM - The Malaysian Media Council said the recent publication error by Sinar Harian involving the profile of Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Datuk Seri Mohd Khalid Ismail should be addressed through a constructive approach. "Mistakes, while regrettable, can and do happen in any profession. What matters is how they are addressed. The media must, in turn, respond to such lapses with transparency, humility and a commitment to improve," it said in a statement, today. The council was responding to concerns over an error made by the Malay-language daily in its coverage of the newly appointed IGP. The publication has since apologised and requested a meeting with the top cop, who has reportedly agreed to the request. The council affirmed that all media must be held accountable for their content. "Newsrooms should have robust operating procedures aligned with media ethics and professional journalism standards. "Upholding these principles is essential to maintaining public trust and the integrity of the profession," it said. It also cautioned against the use of heavy-handed or disproportionate measures by authorities in responding to such errors adding that invoking punitive laws to penalise the press undermined media freedom. The remedy for flawed journalism is better journalism and not intimidation or suppression, it said. While acknowledging that media organisations were bound by the responsibility to report accurately and ethically, the council said it was important for mistakes to be handled "constructively and within the proper frameworks." Although the Media Council is not yet formally constituted, the statement reaffirmed its commitment to responsible journalism and the importance of fact-checking, especially when reporting on key national institutions. "The Malaysian Media Council is committed to fostering a media environment that respects freedom of expression within the bounds of professional, responsible and ethical journalism. "We believe that constructive accountability—rather than punitive control—is the best way to build a stronger, more trustworthy media landscape in Malaysia," it said. A police report was lodged by Sinar Harian regarding the publication of the infographic at the Sri Muda Police Station in Shah Alam on June 21. Earlier, it was reported that Khalid denied having any political affiliation in his 38-year career with the police force, following public confusion caused by a misleading infographic that incorrectly linked him to a political party. Khalid remained composed about the matter and confirmed that the media outlet responsible had contacted him to arrange a meeting. On June 22, Sinar Harian publicly acknowledged the mistake in an infographic that incorrectly identified the IGP as a member of a political party. The error occurred when a staff member from the Social Media Unit reused an old design template, resulting in misleading content. Sinar Harian had also lodged a police report and initiated an internal investigation to determine whether sabotage had occurred. The staff member involved, along with the supervisor, were temporarily suspended pending the outcome of the investigation. The media outlet also pledged to improve editorial quality control and standard operating procedures to prevent such incidents in the future.

The Sun

2 hours ago

• The Sun

MMC urges constructive approach to Sinar Harian error

KUALA LUMPUR: The recent publication error by local daily Sinar Harian involving the profile of Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Datuk Seri Mohd Khalid Ismail needs to be resolved through a constructive approach, not based on punitive measures. The Malaysian Media Council (MMC) is of the view that invoking punitive laws only undermines media freedom. 'The remedy for flawed journalism is better journalism, not intimidation or suppression. 'While media organisations are bound by the responsibility to report accurately and ethically, it is also important that such errors are addressed constructively and within the proper frameworks,' it said in a statement issued by the MMC Founding Board today. Recently, Sinar Harian published an infographic of Mohd Khalid's biodata, which stated that he had held a high position in Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR). However, the newspaper has since retracted the infographic and issued a public apology. In this case, the MMC said Sinar Harian had apologised and asked to meet with the IGP, who has also agreed to the meeting. 'We (MMC) believe the meeting between the two parties will resolve this matter constructively. MMC said that mistakes, while regrettable, can and do happen in any profession. What matters is how they are addressed. The media must, in turn, respond to such lapses with transparency, humility, and a commitment to improve,' it added. The statement added that although MMC has yet to be formally constituted, this situation reaffirms the need to uphold the fundamental values of responsible journalism and the importance of fact-checking, especially when reporting on key national institutions. It said that MMC is committed to fostering a media environment that respects freedom of expression within the bounds of professional, responsible and ethical journalism. MMC is established under the MMC Act 2025, which came into effect on June 14. The MMC Founding Board is made up of 12 members, comprising four representatives for each category, namely media owners, media practitioners and non-media practitioners.

The Star

3 hours ago

• The Star

Burning of PM caricature 'desperate stunt' due to lacklustre turnout, says PKR division chief

KOTA KINABALU: The act of burning a caricature of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim during the recent Suara Mahasiswa rally has been described as a desperate stunt to regain attention after a lacklustre turnout. Tuaran PKR division chief Razeef Rakimin condemned the act, calling it a misdirected and hazardous attempt to provoke. 'This was a desperate attempt to gain attention after the mobilisation failed. The demonstration on Saturday only drew about 50 to 80 people, and the burning of the caricature the next day was clearly a stunt aimed at the wrong target,' he said in a statement on Monday (June 23). The caricature, set alight during the second day of the 'Gempur Rasuah Sabah 2.0' protest organised by students from Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS), was supposedly intended as a symbolic jab at the Prime Minister, labelling him a protector of corruption in Sabah. Razeef said that although the group had a right to protest — something he and Sabah PKR have supported from the beginning — their methods have become increasingly problematic. 'Since their first protest on water issues, and then Gempur Rasuah 1.0 and now 2.0, we have been consistent in defending the right to demonstrate. The police have also allowed their rallies as long as they follow the law,' he said. 'But their approach is off. Instead of mobilising the rakyat, they resort to mockery and extreme ridicule, which turns people off. Their antics come across as distasteful and even childish.' He said one incident during the Saturday rally saw participants roughing up another protester who held a placard demanding an investigation into the alleged RM1.5bil leak — a contradiction to the rally's anti-corruption message. 'Police managed to keep the peace despite provocation. One officer was even shouted at simply for asking to see an ID. It's within a police officer's rights to request identification, yet the demonstrators treated him disrespectfully,' he added. Razeef also questioned why the Prime Minister became the target, pointing out that Anwar had approved a RM3mil allocation to help resolve UMS's water woes after hearing students' complaints. 'The PM didn't pocket a single sen from that project. So why burn his caricature instead of targeting the actual individuals accused of corruption?' he asked. He further highlighted that the burning itself was poorly executed and dangerous. 'After two failed attempts, the banner still wouldn't burn. One participant nearly caught fire when another foolishly lit the petrol while it was still being poured. This was not about cleaning up after - they endangered public safety at Gaya Street, which had tourists and weekend visitors.' 'The public backlash has been strong, not because of their anti-corruption message, but because of the sheer recklessness and disrespect shown. Corruption isn't part of our culture, but neither is extremism and vandalism.' Police have said investigations are ongoing into the banner burning, which may fall under sedition or other related laws.