Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak today asked the mainstream media to continue reporting news based on facts to remain relevant with the people.

NONE He said the mainstream media was now faced with intense competition from new media like blogs and websites that were more based on the perspective of the individual and did not provide news based on accurate facts.

As such, he said, the mainstream media needed to be more creative and innovative in presenting the news in order to continue to gain acceptance by the people.

"If we follow the mainstream media, we will know intuitively that the reporting cannot be disputed, in terms of fact or perspective, because the basis is facts.

"As such, I wish to encourage the mainstream media to hold fast to its role as providers of factual based reporting and well-thought out opinions, intellectual and based on the actual facts," he added.

PM committed to transformation

Najib said this when breaking fast with staff of the New Straits Times ( NST ) at its main office in Jalan Riong here.

Najib also said the people must have the ability to evaluate the strengths of the mainstream media which has been able to keep up to date with changes in information coummunication technology.

At the same time, Najib reiterated that as the leader of the nation, he was very committed to bring about a major transformation in the country.

"From what I see through news reports and pictures, we are on a journey. Our founding fathers built the nation and today it is incumbent on us to continue the journey and bring about a transformation," he said.

Earlier, Najib and his wife Rosmah Mansor were brought to visit the NST's news room on the fourth floor of Balai Berita before they broke fast with some 500 NST staff at the compound of the building.

- Bernama