KOTA KINABALU: Officers of the Information Department were urged to go beyond and face new challenges posed by cyber space, said its director general Datuk Ibrahim Abdul Rahman.
He said information technology had advanced so fast that information officers must keep abreast of changes and challenges, especially in facing cyber war.
“During the recent 13th General Election, there were rampant cyber attacks on government policies, leaders and the King, and so much negative things being said about our government,” he pointed out.
Ibrahim said such negative news was detrimental to the government, the nation and a threat to security, and it must be stopped.
He added that it is here that information officers can play their role, apart from their normal duties, in disseminating and marketing the right information and true facts to the people by interacting in cyber media such as Facebook, Twitter and Blogs.
“It is time now that they play the role as cyber troopers. This is part of our Transformation Programme ,” he said at a gathering with information department officers at the Sabah Information Office at Wisma Dang Bandang, yesterday.
Earlier, he praised his officers for contributing their part towards the setting up of a Media Centre during the Ops Daulat operation at Lahad Datu.
“The Media Centre was set up within a few days after the invasion. As we must always be prepared to face the physical war, we must also be prepared to face the cyber war which is equally damaging,” Ibrahim said.
Also present at the event were state information director Almain Ajirul and and deputy director Yunus Sapirin.