When compassion speaks louder than confrontation

Nelson Fernandez, executive chairman of FMT, emphasized at the New Muslim Community Conference in Kuala Lumpur that compassion should take precedence over confrontation, especially in light of current race relations in Malaysia. The mass media and community organizations have a crucial role in promoting understanding and kindness instead of focusing on conflict.

Fernandez asserted that newsrooms need to lead by example in respect and fairness, both in their treatment of colleagues and in their editorial decisions. He advocated for embracing diversity within newsrooms, as varied perspectives can help avoid oversights and ensure a balanced perspective. A notable example he cited was the Diya Amanda story, where a Chinese woman and her Malay family received widespread support from Malaysians, highlighting the country's unity.

This incident demonstrated the power of journalism to foster healing and unity by addressing sensitive issues, not by avoiding them.