PUTRAJAYA, Aug 6 — Datuk Hamzah Zainuddin said today the first challenge as minister that he has to deal with is the negative perception from the social media.

The new Domestic Trade Co-operatives and Consumerism Minister said his predecessor Datuk Seri Hasan Malek told him that he would have to deal with people’s perception on government’s policies.

“Even when what we do is good, the benefits are not highlighted but only the negative is talked about. Whatever we do, there would be pros and cons.

“What is important is what we do is for the majority’s interests, and not just for one or two individuals,” he told reporters after being formally handed the Domestic Trade Co-operatives and Consumerism Ministry portfolio here.

He also said Hasan had warned him to watch out for the news portal The Malaysian Insider which publishes “all kinds of stories that he will have to deal with”.

Hamzah was part of the Cabinet reshuffle announced by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak in a hastily convened press conference last week.

He was formerly the deputy foreign minister.