PUTRAJAYA: All media practitioners have been asked to wait for the official statement from the Pardons Board regarding Datuk Seri Najib Razak's appeal for a royal pardon, and not to produce news stories based solely on sources, Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil.
Referring to a news portal's report which cited a source claiming that the board had granted a full pardon to Najib, Fahmi, who is unity government's spokesman, said it is very important for the media practitioners to verify the authenticity of the information received before publishing it.
"Sometimes, the authenticity of the sources cannot be ascertained, and hence it is important to verify the information received.
"I have also checked with the Cabinet StratComm and Azalina (Minister of Law and Institutional Reform Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said), and was informed that we have to wait for the Pardons Board," he said in his speech at the ministry monthly assembly here today.
Bernama checks found that the portal had removed the report on Najib's pardon on grounds of unverified facts and also apologised to its readers. -- BERNAMA
