Why did the Prime Minister call foreign media reports on subsidy cuts unethical?

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The Prime Minister Condemned Foreign Media Reports on Subsidy Cuts as Unethical Due to Lack of Final Decision and Reliance on Unverified Sources

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has labelled foreign media reports concerning potential fuel subsidy cuts as unethical. He asserted that no definitive decision on the matter had been reached at the Cabinet level, criticising the reports for relying on information from unreliable sources and for failing to adhere to journalistic ethics by not verifying facts before publication.
Absence of a Cabinet Decision

Anwar Ibrahim clarified that discussions regarding the withdrawal of diesel subsidies had occurred, but no final decision on the implementation date or method had been made. He emphasised that any such policy change requires careful explanation and must consider the impact on the populace, indicating that the principle guiding such considerations is not to burden the people.
Reliance on Unreliable Sources

The Prime Minister specifically criticised foreign media outlets for citing information from what he described as unreliable sources. He highlighted that policy matters of this nature necessitate the government providing prior notice and making official announcements, a process that was bypassed by the premature reporting.
Unethical Reporting Practices

Anwar Ibrahim stated that while the principle of media freedom is accepted, it must be exercised with ethical considerations based on facts. He stressed the importance of citing information from reliable sources, particularly when dealing with policy issues that have significant public implications, suggesting the reporting violated these standards.
Specificity of the Reports

The reports in question, from a foreign news newspaper, had claimed that Malaysia planned to cut fuel subsidies as part of economic reforms. These reports, citing industry and government sources, had suggested that diesel prices would be floated to market prices after the Kuala Kubu Baru by-election on May 11, followed by a gradual increase in petrol prices.

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Why did the Prime Minister call foreign media reports on subsidy cuts unethical?

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