‘Santuni Madani’ Programme aims To Enhance Social Media Literacy 

BANTING, Oct 12 (Bernama) -- The ‘Satu Pemimpin Satu Kampung (Santuni) MADANI’ programme held in Kampung Batu Laut, near here, aims to enhance social media literacy among residents, equipping them to avoid online scams, particularly those related to fraudulent investment schemes.

Kampung Batu Laut village head, Subandi Sagandi, 63, expressed hope that the programme would empower local residents with the skills needed to navigate social media responsibly and identify scams in online transactions.

“We have seen several investment scams in our village, especially targeting elderly individuals aged 60 and above. Therefore, it is crucial to raise awareness about responsible social media use among them," he said.

“It is also important to educatie the younger generation. Some children as young as three are adept at using smartphones, yet many struggle with reading when they start school. Addressing this issue is vital for our community's development,” he added.

He was met following the launch of the ‘Santuni MADANI’ programme for the selection of Kampung Batu Laut as the Malaysian National News Agency's (Bernama) ‘Kampung Angkat Bernama’ which comes under the Kampung Angkat MADANI (MADANI village adoption) initiative. 

The event was officiated by Datuk Aiman Athirah Sabu, the Deputy Minister of Housing and Local Government and Sepang MP.

Tanjung Sepat state constituency Indian community leader, M. Murali, said selecting Kampung Batu Laut as a ‘Kampung Angkat Bernama’ adds value to rural communities, especially for the Indian population, by expanding the agency's services.

He said there are about 6,000 Indian residents in the Tanjung Sepat constituency, which also has three Tamil national-type schools.

“During the speech, I heard that Bernama will be developing various programmes for this community, so I hope the residents will actively participate and support Bernama moving forward,” he said, adding that he also tried his hand at reading the news at the Bernama TV booth.

Izuwan Samson, 44, from Klang, shared his experience of discovering the programme while taking his family for a day out at Morib Beach, about 11 kilometres from Kampung Batu Laut.

“Due to the weather, we decided to explore nearby, and we stumbled upon this large-scale event. My kids had a blast playing games and winning prizes, and I wanted to try my hand at being a newsreader too," said Izuwan, who is also follower of Bernama's social media platforms. 

Puteri Nur Surihani Sufia Norazizan, 14, meanwhile, expressed her excitement on attending the event to witness how news is presented on television and radio, as well as the appealing prizes on offer.

“It's not every day that we get the chance to read the news using real equipment, so I’m really thrilled," said the Form Two student from Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan (SMK) Batu Laut.

The Santuni MADANI programme, initiated by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, is designed to be implemented by every head of department and government agency.

Its objective is to enhance the potential of villages and empower communities through ongoing engagement and periodic monitoring, coordinated by the Implementation Coordination Unit of the Prime Minister's Department.

-- BERNAMA