‘Media need to generate optimism’

Makkah Gov. Prince Mishaal bin Abdullah has urged members of the public and social media to spread accurate information in order to instill a sense of confidence and optimism in residents.
“The media’s importance has increased with the arrival of social media, which disseminates information within seconds,” the governor said.
He cautioned against using the media to tarnish the country’s image and undermine its development process. He was speaking at a reception for intellectuals, writers, journalists and prominent personalities at the Conference Palace in Jeddah.
Prince Mishaal said the government of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah has accorded top priority to the development of Makkah, home to the Kaaba, the Grand Mosque and holy sites.
“The implementation of a large number of development projects in the region is a clear manifestation of the government’s special attention to developing Makkah,” the governor said.
The King Abdullah Haram Expansion is one of the biggest projects in the region, the governor said. “In addition, there are several other projects being implemented in Jeddah, Makkah, Taif and other principalities in the region,” he said. “The Makkah region has become a nonstop workshop as a result of these projects.”
Prince Mishaal told reporters that the ongoing massive Grand Mosque expansion would create at least 4,000 jobs for Saudis, while stressing the government’s efforts to create more job opportunities for the growing numbers of Saudi graduates.
More than 600,000 Saudis graduate from secondary schools and universities and enter the Kingdom’s job market every year.
Mohammed bin Moraisi Al-Harthi, a leading intellectual, emphasized the efforts made by King Abdul Aziz to unify the country. He commended the government’s efforts to take the Kingdom to the level of developed countries.
Asim Hamdan, a columnist, told the governor to involve youth in the development process. Youth account for 60 percent of the Kingdom’s population. “We have to make greater efforts to bring up our young population with the best principles and provide them with good education and direction.”