Kuala Lumpur: The Malaysian Press Institute (MPI) has successfully secured over RM1.24 million to organize the Malaysian Journalism Night 2025 and the MPI Petronas Journalism Awards 2024, scheduled for June 20.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, MPI President Datuk Yong Soo Heong announced that Petronas contributed RM450,000 for award winners, while RM799,500 was gathered from 51 organizations, including corporations, ministries, government agencies, and media outlets. This event will be held in collaboration with the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC).

Datuk Yong expressed gratitude towards the sponsors, highlighting that their support underscores the importance of journalism in fostering an informed society. He emphasized Petronas’ ongoing commitment as the main sponsor since 1994, which reflects its dedication to high-quality journalism in Malaysia.

This year, the awards have attracted a record number of entries, with 548 submissions, marking an increase of 60 entries compared to the previous year. The Best Photojournalism category received the most entries with 79, followed by Best Video News with 65 entries, and Best Video Interview with 46 entries, across a total of 21 categories.

Datuk Yong noted the participation of 58 media organizations from across the country, including Sabah and Sarawak, demonstrating a growing interest in producing journalism with significant impact. A townhall session, titled ‘Ruang dan Peluang Liputan Media,’ was also conducted at the event to provide corporate partners, government agencies, and sponsors insights into the current media landscape.

The Malaysian Journalism Awards 2024 will be inaugurated by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof on June 20 at the Majestic Hotel, Kuala Lumpur.