Kuala lumpur: Media practitioners are being urged to exercise caution in their reporting and to avoid headlines or statements that could propagate stereotypes. Deputy Communications Minister Teo Nie Ching emphasized the influential role media plays in shaping public perception and breaking down existing stereotypes.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Teo highlighted the issue during a press conference following a mock cheque presentation ceremony at Surau Nurul Haq in Kampung Sungai Sayong 1. She stressed that stereotypes are pervasive, not only in how people are addressed but also in job-related assumptions, such as the belief that only women are suited to be nurses or that women cannot be engineers. Teo expressed the importance of eliminating such stereotypes to educate future generations that they can achieve anything without the burden of societal labels.

Teo made these remarks in response to inquiries regarding a headline about a national badminton player in an online newspaper. She had previously shared a screenshot of the headline on Facebook, encouraging the athlete to disregard the stereotype implied.

Additionally, Teo addressed the issue of online fraud, revealing that from the start of the year to August 31, the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) had removed 58,659 social media posts with fraudulent content. The data was collected from several agencies, including the Royal Malaysia Police and various ministries. Teo urged the public to report any fraudulent activities to ensure swift action is taken.