Youths told to be discerning
by Peter Boon, reporters@theborneopost.com. Posted on December 24, 2012, Monday
SIBU: Online social media such as facebook, twitter and blogs, which are popular among the younger generations, can be a good platform for wooing the support of young voters to Barisan Nasional (BN) this coming general election.
State BN secretary-general Datuk Dr Stephen Rundi opined yesterday the new media would come in handy as the youngsters were more inclined to access information through the cyberspace.
He, however, warned them to be vigilant against irresponsible groups out to promote their political agendas.
“For sure these (media) would be of great help for BN, furthermore the young ones are more inclined to such mode of dissemination of information.
“However, be mindful that they should not be easily misled by irresponsible groups for their political agendas. Hence, they must check their facts to discern the information before them, especially with PRU13 (13th general election) around the corner,” Dr Rundi, who is also Assistant Minister of Public Utilities (Electricity and Telecommunications), said when contacted.
PBB supreme council member Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, meanwhile, viewed the alternative media as another mode of reaching out to both old and young voters.
Abdul Karim, who is Assistant Minister of Youth Development and Asajaya assemblyman, did not see it so much as a channel to win the hearts of the young voters but merely as a new mode of communication.
“Because of its popularity, especially with the urban voters, all political parties definitely would use it to the fullest to popularise themselves as well as to hit out at their opponents.
“And when cyber laws or the new media laws are still not too well regulated, we are bound to see lots of mud-slinging, incriminating and defamatory information through the new media…just like how ‘surat layang’ or flying poison letters used in the 70s and 80s,” he said.
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