Radio Televisyen Malaysia (RTM) issued fresh apologies on October 26, 2025, for mistakenly naming the prime ministers of Singapore and Thailand during a live broadcast of the 47th Asean Summit’s opening ceremony in Kuala Lumpur.
Errors in Identifying Regional Leaders
During the coverage, RTM commentators erroneously referred to Singapore’s prime minister as Lee Hsien Loong, who stepped down previously, instead of the current prime minister, Lawrence Wong. Similarly, Thailand’s prime minister was incorrectly named as Srettha Thavisin, who left office a year ago, rather than Anutin Charnvirakul, who assumed the role last month.
Second Apology of the Day
The broadcasting department released two separate statements on Saturday evening to address these errors, following an earlier apology for misidentifying Indonesia’s president as Joko Widodo instead of Prabowo Subianto. The repeated blunders underscored the challenges faced during the high-profile broadcast.
Commitment to Accountability
RTM expressed regret in its statements, emphasizing that it views the mistakes seriously and has taken appropriate action. The department reaffirmed its dedication to improving editorial oversight and fact-checking to ensure accurate and reliable broadcasts.
Strengthening Public Trust
The opening ceremony, chaired by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and attended by all Asean leaders, highlighted Malaysia’s role as a regional host.
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