Kota Kinabalu: Those aspiring to become a citizen journalist can now get their training with the setting up of a Citizen Journalists Malaysia (CJM) Borneo Chapter office here recently.According to the Chapter Head Marcel Chong, the office located at Level 10, Wisma Merdeka will become the training hub and operation room for citizen journalists in Sabah and Sarawak.
"We will be conducting Citizen Journalism trainings extensively in the months to come on news reporting, news writing, video camera operation and video editing, specially catered to citizens (communities) of Sabah and Sarawak, who want to participate in the empowerment of their communities through news gathering process.
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"A minimal fee of RM100 will be charged as a commitment fee for this four-day training, which will be held during the weekends only," he disclosed in a statement.
He noted that at the moment, the Borneo Chapter has been constantly contributing news for community news portal such as Komunitikini.com and the Citizen Journalists Malaysia portal, CJ.MY.
To date, it has conducted five trainings in various locations in Sabah.
The recent Citizen Journalism training took place in Sandakan, and 10 new Citizen Journalists have been trained.
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"Citizen Journalism training is expected to be organised every month at Wisma Merdeka," Chong said.
"New participants will be trained and groomed to become Citizen Journalists, who will be reporting on various community issues and events in Sabah and Sarawak respectively," he said.
Most of the Citizen Journalists from Sabah and Sarawak are volunteers and have contributed almost 300 articles and 80 videos.
He further noted that as Borneo Chapter Chief, he is also tasked to manage and build a network of Citizen Journalists across Borneo.
Citizen Journalists Malaysia is a volunteer's movement founded in November 2008.
The movement has been actively training and grooming ordinary citizens to report news and events within their community.
It believes that vigorous, independent media is crucial in improving the human condition, thus, working mutually with the International Centre For Journalists or ICFJ at Washington D.C. USA for international support and also an affiliation to VJ movement of Netherlands.
Currently, the movement has four chapters which are oversees Northern, Central, Southern region in Peninsular Malaysia and Borneo region which comprises Sabah and Sarawak.
Each chapter is managed by a chapter head.
For more information, one may log on to its website at www.cj.my or Email to Marcel.Chong@komunitikini.com.
