Social media not good for cultural heritage

PORT DICKSON: The development of social media impacts poorly on the cultural heritage in the country, said Deputy Communications and Multimedia Minister Datuk Jailani Johari.
He said society was more keen to communicate online compared to face-to-face.
"The technological expansion has a two-pronged implication in the development of a country and human civilisation. Can be positive or negative. It also widely exposes us to foreign culture.
"This new way of communicating can result in a drop in the level of confidence of an individual to express his views publicly and this is capable of slowly eroding the oratory culture in the hearts of society," he said when opening the final of the national level 2017 Negaraku Oratory Competition here today.
Commenting further, Jailani said the era of globalisation had created an internet world without borders.
"Behind the greatness of this internet without boundaries, we are faced with the challenges of the social media which is the main and easiest platform to influence the minds of the people.
"There are many examples we can see whereby the people more easily believe information highlighted in social media without checking on its legitimacy first ... as had taken place in the Middle East," he said.
During the ceremony, Jailani also handed over the top prize to Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur student Tay Yih Yih, 23.
Tay, who is from Malacca and the sole non-Malay at the competition, beat four others to emerge champion, taking home cash RM3,000, challenge trophy, accompaniment trophy and a certificate of participation.
The competition, which started since March, was participated by 556 people who competed at district and state levels and the state champions will compete in the semi-finals, with 15 participants to qualify for the final. — Bernama