Butterworth: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim expressed appreciation to all local media practitioners, especially those who continue to discharge their responsibilities with the utmost ethics and integrity in informing the public.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, the Prime Minister acknowledged the challenging environment faced by media practitioners today, especially with the rapid advancement of digital technology and artificial intelligence (AI). These developments have introduced new challenges to the media industry, making the task of maintaining ethical standards more demanding.
Addressing the main event of National Journalists' Day (HAWANA) 2026 at the PICCA Convention Centre Butterworth Arena, Anwar emphasized the crucial role media practitioners play in enhancing public understanding of the government's policies and national development agenda. He advocated for freedom of expression and information dissemination, underscoring the need for these freedoms to be exercised responsibly and ethically to ensure accuracy and credibility.
Anwar highlighted the importance of ethics and values in determining the truthfulness and correctness of information, particularly amidst the focus on economic growth, digitalization, energy transition, and AI. He stressed that freedom should be balanced with responsibility to prevent the abuse of democratic spaces that could destabilize the country's systems and institutions.
The event was attended by notable figures, including Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow and Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil, among others. More than 1,000 media practitioners from Malaysia and abroad, as well as delegates from Timor-Leste, Cambodia, and Laos, participated under the theme 'Media Integrity Strengthens Credibility'.
The Prime Minister witnessed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Bernama and Timor-Leste's national news agency, TATOLI. He also presented awards recognizing significant contributions to the media industry, including the HAWANA Award to former director-general of broadcasting Datuk Suhaimi Sulaiman and the HAWANA 2026 Special Award to former Bernama Radio chief, the late Azlan Idris.
TV3 and Bernama were named champion and runner-up, respectively, at the HAWANA-Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (DBP) 2026 Pantun Festival. Contributions were also made to the Tabung KasihHAWANA to support media practitioners facing health challenges.
The event featured performances, including a boria performance by the Penang branch of the National Department for Culture and Arts (JKKN) and musical acts by singers Hattan, Khadijah Ibrahim, and Haziq Rosebi.