(Sibu, 18th) Sarawak Deputy Minister of Public Health, Housing and Local Government, Dato Chieng Jin Ek (Cheng Ming Zhi), stated that journalists have strenuous jobs, often requiring long hours and facing various risks, and thus should pay greater attention to their health.
He said journalists often work in tough environments, including extended exposure to the scorching sun and rain, and sometimes even put their own safety at risk when covering dangerous incidents.
“I want to emphasize the importance of health. I know you work long hours and face various risks while carrying out your reporting duties. I am very concerned about your health,” he said in his speech on Monday (17th) at the celebration event for the World News Association Conference (HAWANA) organized by the Sibu Journalists Association (SJA).
Cheng Ming Zhi mentioned that he had seen journalists working under the blazing sun without sun protection, and sometimes braving the rain without an umbrella; some have even entered fire scenes and other hazardous areas with insufficient protection.
He cited a recent shophouse fire on Jalan Khoo Peng Loong as an example, where despite the fire raging on, journalists still remained at the scene for hours to report.
He also recalled the sacrifices journalists made during the COVID-19 pandemic and the movement control order. At that time, they, like healthcare workers and other frontline personnel, continued to stay at their posts.
“There was no war here, but during that period, the frontline was like a war zone,” he said.
Cheng Ming Zhi pledged to sponsor health checkups for Sibu journalists so they could understand their own health status and confirm whether they were fit and healthy to continue working.
“I hope to sponsor all of you to undergo health screenings. We will make the arrangements so you can receive health checks to know if you are in good health and your physical condition is fine,” he said. This announcement received enthusiastic applause from SJA members.
He emphasized that everyone should put health first, especially as they age, and they must not ignore health issues.
At the same time, Cheng Ming Zhi described the media as an important pillar of democratic society, with journalists playing a key role in overseeing the government and being the voice of the people.
“As you know, in democratic countries, there are three main pillars of government: the executive, legislative, and judiciary. But in a democracy, we also have a fourth pillar, which is the media,” he said.
He said that media acts as a check and balance outside the government system, plays an important role by conveying official information to the public, providing a platform for people to express their opinions, and overseeing government policies and their consequences.
Cheng Ming Zhi pointed out that journalists also play a key role in combating disinformation, and that they must verify and re-verify information before reporting. He stressed that even though social media is now widespread, if journalists stopped working, society would still feel “blind” due to the lack of reliable information.
He said: “What would happen if journalists stopped working for a week? Someone might use their phone to record things like fights and post the videos online. You might hear about the incident through social media, but without a reliable source providing verified facts, you still wouldn’t know exactly what happened.”
He stated that mainstream media journalists personally go to the scene, verify information, and provide the public with reliable and validated facts.
Cheng Ming Zhi also thanked journalists for their continued reporting on the developments and various projects in his constituency, noting that reliable news coverage helps boost public confidence.
Attendees included Sibu MP Oscar Ling, Bukit Assek State Assemblyman Chieng Jin Yi, Sarawak United People’s Party Bawang Assan Branch Chairman Lau Kuo Jie, SJA Chairwoman Florence Nervyn, and Organizing Chairman Borhaniza Ali Basah.
“I want to emphasize the importance of health. I know you work long hours and face various risks while carrying out your reporting duties. I am very concerned about your health,” he said in his speech on Monday (17th) at the celebration event for the World News Association Conference (HAWANA) organized by the Sibu Journalists Association (SJA).
Cheng Ming Zhi mentioned that he had seen journalists working under the blazing sun without sun protection, and sometimes braving the rain without an umbrella; some have even entered fire scenes and other hazardous areas with insufficient protection.
He cited a recent shophouse fire on Jalan Khoo Peng Loong as an example, where despite the fire raging on, journalists still remained at the scene for hours to report.
He also recalled the sacrifices journalists made during the COVID-19 pandemic and the movement control order. At that time, they, like healthcare workers and other frontline personnel, continued to stay at their posts.
“There was no war here, but during that period, the frontline was like a war zone,” he said.
Cheng Ming Zhi pledged to sponsor health checkups for Sibu journalists so they could understand their own health status and confirm whether they were fit and healthy to continue working.
“I hope to sponsor all of you to undergo health screenings. We will make the arrangements so you can receive health checks to know if you are in good health and your physical condition is fine,” he said. This announcement received enthusiastic applause from SJA members.
He emphasized that everyone should put health first, especially as they age, and they must not ignore health issues.
At the same time, Cheng Ming Zhi described the media as an important pillar of democratic society, with journalists playing a key role in overseeing the government and being the voice of the people.
“As you know, in democratic countries, there are three main pillars of government: the executive, legislative, and judiciary. But in a democracy, we also have a fourth pillar, which is the media,” he said.
He said that media acts as a check and balance outside the government system, plays an important role by conveying official information to the public, providing a platform for people to express their opinions, and overseeing government policies and their consequences.
Cheng Ming Zhi pointed out that journalists also play a key role in combating disinformation, and that they must verify and re-verify information before reporting. He stressed that even though social media is now widespread, if journalists stopped working, society would still feel “blind” due to the lack of reliable information.
He said: “What would happen if journalists stopped working for a week? Someone might use their phone to record things like fights and post the videos online. You might hear about the incident through social media, but without a reliable source providing verified facts, you still wouldn’t know exactly what happened.”
He stated that mainstream media journalists personally go to the scene, verify information, and provide the public with reliable and validated facts.
Cheng Ming Zhi also thanked journalists for their continued reporting on the developments and various projects in his constituency, noting that reliable news coverage helps boost public confidence.
Attendees included Sibu MP Oscar Ling, Bukit Assek State Assemblyman Chieng Jin Yi, Sarawak United People’s Party Bawang Assan Branch Chairman Lau Kuo Jie, SJA Chairwoman Florence Nervyn, and Organizing Chairman Borhaniza Ali Basah.