Medals conferred to 227 media practitioners who covered Sulu intrusion in Lahad Datu

(Left to right) Aron Raj, Shaun Ho, Ebrahim Harris are among the star’s team that covered the Sulu intrusion.

PUTRAJAYA: Datuk Seri Najib presented Pingat Kedaulatan Negara to 227 media practitioners who covered the intrusion by Sulu gunmen on Lahad Datu earlier this year.

The medals were presented at a special function at Seri Perdana here on Friday.

The Prime Minister said the medals were in appreciation of the contributions and services of media practitioners who had helped in disseminating accurate information during the entire intrusion.

"The media practitioners were exposed to a very high risk and yet they need to channel accurate and authentic information to the people.

"In the Vietnam war, the US had the latest technology but lost because it did not have the support of the people.

"It was different in the case of Malaysia where we humbled the communist insurgency by winning the hearts and minds of the people enabling the government to garner the support of the people," he said.

Najib added that articles in the print and electronic media during and after the intrusion had united Malaysians and kindled the spirit of nationalism among them.

The media practitioners who received the medals were those who had registered at the media centre managed at the Field Sahabat Residence in Lahad Datu between Feb 15 and April 15.

Eight policemen and two soldiers were killed in the intrusion.

Also present at the function, which was held before the breaking of fast was The Star acting chief executive officer and group chief editor Datuk Seri Wong Chun Wai.

(Source: The Star Online)