‘Stay on track with information technology to remain relevant’

SIBU: The Information Department is still a relevant agency which plays an important role in disseminating government policies, especially to rural people.

Kanowit MP Datuk Aaron Ago Dagang however advised information officers to keep track of rapid development in information technology to ensure information they disseminated were not obsolete.

“Though there are various kinds of telecommunication devices including smart phones disseminating information, the department is still much needed to give correct and current information to the people,” he said when addressing the state-level 106th anniversary celebration of the Malaysia Information Department at Islamic Complex here on Friday night.

Aaron noted that the department was incepted in Sarawak in 1950 known as Public Relation Division at State government’s secretariat and later became Government of Sarawak Information Services (GSIS).

“Certainly it cannot be denied that the Information department is still relevant in disseminating government policies to rural people in Sarawak. I still recall how the State Information department through Rascom (Rajang Area Security Command) operated in the 1960’s and 1970’s in discharging their roles.

“I could also recall the department was once dubbed film-show department whereby personnel went to longhouses to stage film shows to the people,” he said.

In this connection, he urged staff of the department to make use of the past brilliant times as an impetus in facing future challenges in discharging their duties.

He explained that in this era of globalisation, the department could not escape from the rapid changes in information technology and hence its officers should keep in tandem with development changes to remain relevant.

State director of Information Department, Sardon Hashim was among those present.