(Kuching, 17th) — Datuk Abdullah Saidol, Deputy Minister in the Sarawak Premier’s Department (Corporate Affairs, Media, and Sarawak Public Communications Unit, UKAS), pointed out that artificial intelligence (AI) is now able to alter video and audio content with an extremely high level of realism, making it increasingly difficult for the public to distinguish between truth and falsehood. Deepfake technology has become a serious challenge to society.
He said that with the rapid development of technology, the widespread use of social media, and the constant spread of misinformation, the media industry is facing more and more new challenges.
He stated: “The threat to journalistic credibility posed by deepfake technology and the proliferation of fake news are real issues.”
“AI can now alter videos and audio in a highly realistic manner, blurring the line between truth and deception.”
Abdullah made these remarks in his speech last night (July 16), at the 2026 Sarawak Media Conference (SMEC 2026) dinner held at Pullman Hotel Kuching in conjunction with the National Journalists’ Day 2026 (HAWANA 2026) celebration.
He said the environment faced by the media industry today is increasingly complex. Journalists are not only under pressure to release the news swiftly but must also insist on fact-checking to ensure accurate reporting.
He pointed out that the rise of social media has further intensified public demand for instant news, leaving the media with less and less time for thorough verification; at the same time, the number of citizen journalists and online content creators keeps increasing, leading to even fiercer competition among media outlets for public attention.
In addition, he warned that misinformation can spread quickly through digital platforms, making media credibility and journalistic ethics more important than ever before.
Abdullah also discussed the applications of AI in news production, including automatically generated news content and copyright issues associated with media content being used to train AI systems.
He said: “Although digital technology continues to advance, the role of human journalists who uphold journalistic ethics is irreplaceable by any algorithm.”
He added that the government and society need to provide greater support to the media industry, ensuring that journalists can continue to serve as a trusted source of information and play an important role in maintaining social harmony.
The dinner was officiated by Deputy Prime Minister Dato Sri Fadillah Yusof.
Other guests in attendance included: Sarawak State Legislative Assembly Speaker Tan Sri Dato Amar Mohamad Asfia Awang Nassar; Deputy Minister of Sarawak Tourism, Creative Industry, and Performing Arts (Creative Industry & Performing Arts) Datuk Snowdan Lawan; Consul General of Brunei in Sarawak, Sheikh Abdul Mahdani Dato Paduka Sheikh Abdul Ghani; Director of Sarawak Public Communications Unit, Awang Putrayusrie Awang Redzuan; and Chairman of Sarawak Media Group, Datuk Norhyati Mohd Ismail.
He stated: “The threat to journalistic credibility posed by deepfake technology and the proliferation of fake news are real issues.”
“AI can now alter videos and audio in a highly realistic manner, blurring the line between truth and deception.”
Abdullah made these remarks in his speech last night (July 16), at the 2026 Sarawak Media Conference (SMEC 2026) dinner held at Pullman Hotel Kuching in conjunction with the National Journalists’ Day 2026 (HAWANA 2026) celebration.
He said the environment faced by the media industry today is increasingly complex. Journalists are not only under pressure to release the news swiftly but must also insist on fact-checking to ensure accurate reporting.
He pointed out that the rise of social media has further intensified public demand for instant news, leaving the media with less and less time for thorough verification; at the same time, the number of citizen journalists and online content creators keeps increasing, leading to even fiercer competition among media outlets for public attention.
In addition, he warned that misinformation can spread quickly through digital platforms, making media credibility and journalistic ethics more important than ever before.
Abdullah also discussed the applications of AI in news production, including automatically generated news content and copyright issues associated with media content being used to train AI systems.
He said: “Although digital technology continues to advance, the role of human journalists who uphold journalistic ethics is irreplaceable by any algorithm.”
He added that the government and society need to provide greater support to the media industry, ensuring that journalists can continue to serve as a trusted source of information and play an important role in maintaining social harmony.
The dinner was officiated by Deputy Prime Minister Dato Sri Fadillah Yusof.
Other guests in attendance included: Sarawak State Legislative Assembly Speaker Tan Sri Dato Amar Mohamad Asfia Awang Nassar; Deputy Minister of Sarawak Tourism, Creative Industry, and Performing Arts (Creative Industry & Performing Arts) Datuk Snowdan Lawan; Consul General of Brunei in Sarawak, Sheikh Abdul Mahdani Dato Paduka Sheikh Abdul Ghani; Director of Sarawak Public Communications Unit, Awang Putrayusrie Awang Redzuan; and Chairman of Sarawak Media Group, Datuk Norhyati Mohd Ismail.