Hawana: The HAWANA-DBP 2025 Pantun Festival is more than just a competition – it serves as a platform to celebrate and preserve Malaysia’s cultural heritage while cultivating interest in traditional poetry among the younger generation. TV3 personality and pantun enthusiast Ahmad Fedtri Yahya emphasized the importance of making the event more engaging and accessible to attract broader participation and change the perception that pantun is solely for formal contests.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Fedtri expressed his passion for pantun, aiming to make it an enjoyable and vibrant experience. He believes that by instilling pride in cultural heritage, more individuals will be drawn to it. ‘As someone passionate about pantun, I want to make it something enjoyable and vibrant. For me, it’s about instilling pride in our heritage. Many shy away from pantun when it’s seen purely as a competition,’ he said.
Fedtri also mentioned the importance of involving younger participants to provide them with exposure and experience. He is optimistic that the festival will continue to attract more participants in future editions, showcasing the organisers’ dedication to keeping the art of pantun alive. ‘God willing, this competition will grow into a major platform. It offers an opportunity to nurture more young pantun talents,’ he added.
Astro Radio News journalist Nurul Izzati, 31, shared her hope that the contest would become an annual event in conjunction with National Journalists’ Day (HAWANA) to maintain the relevance of pantun among youth. ‘This is my first time participating. I hope it continues in the coming years. Interest in pantun is waning, so we need to elevate it once again,’ she said.
Malaysia Hari Ini (MHI) TV3 producer Affiq Norshamsudin expressed his appreciation for the art form and his desire to reconnect with it through the festival. ‘I used to take part in pantun regularly, but work commitments made it difficult to continue. This competition gave me the chance to reconnect with something I truly love,’ he noted.
Affiq praised the organisers and participants for their dedication, acknowledging the challenge of balancing media work with cultural events. ‘Getting eight teams together is already a great achievement, considering how hectic our schedules are. The level of commitment shown is very encouraging,’ he remarked.
The HAWANA-DBP 2025 Pantun Festival, themed ‘Melayu Klasik Tradisional’, is part of the HAWANA 2025 celebrations, scheduled from June 13 to 15. The highlight of the event, set for June 14, is expected to be officiated by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. The festival is organised by the Malaysian National News Agency (Bernama) in collaboration with Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (DBP), with the prize presentation also planned for June 14.