HAWANA

KUALA LUMPUR — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim (picture) has reaffirmed his commitment to acting against corrupt leaders, even if such efforts may not prove to be popular.

“When we have taken action against those corrupt leaders, past or present leaders, businessmen, corporate leaders, who have squandered billions of ringgit, I have not seen that sort of anger and support that we should have.

“But it doesn’t matter. I do my job regardless of whether I have the general support or not. That is my duty and I will perform to the utmost of my ability to ensure that we get rid of corruption, which has been an endemic in this country,” he said when officiating at the National Journalists’ Day (HAWANA) 2025 highlight celebration at the World Trade Centre Kuala Lumpur (WTCKL) here today.

Present were Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Federal Territories) Datuk Seri Dr Zaliha Mustafa and Deputy Communications Minister Teo Nie Ching.

Also in attendance were Communications Ministry secretary-general Datuk Mohamad Fauzi Md Isa, Malaysian National News Agency (Bernama) chairman Datuk Seri Wong Chun Wai, Bernama chief executive officer Datin Paduka Nur-ul Afida Kamaludin, editor-in-chief Arul Rajoo Durar Raj, who also serves as project director of HAWANA 2025, and the top management of other local media organisations. 

The prestigious event brought together about 1,000 media practitioners from Malaysia and abroad.

Elaborating further, Anwar said he is not interested in imprisoning certain individuals but is more concerned about recovering the country’s misappropriated funds so they can be returned for the benefit of the people.

Anwar said he found it strange that the country had “allowed” embezzlement involving tens of billions to be carried out by several political and corporate figures, only for it to be forgotten.

“Where is the lesson in that? What is the meaning of power? I have no interest in jailing people. I’m interested in recovering the money so it can be returned to the people. That is my focus. And I want to put an end to this culture (of abuse of power and corruption).

“I’m well aware of it. They are looking for petty issues to distract from the core problems and divert people’s attention. But believe me, this country will only be safe if we resolve the root issues, namely the management of public finances. Only then can we talk about additional allocations,” he said.

HAWANA was introduced in 2018 as a recognition of journalists’ contributions to national development, with May 29 chosen to mark the first publication of the Utusan Melayu newspaper in 1939. — BERNAMA

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KUALA LUMPUR — Press freedom is one of the main pillars of democratic practice that must continue to be upheld and strengthened in the country, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

Therefore, he said, the media must continue to play the role of conveying the truth and not merely become a tool for certain vested interests to force the public to accept something without space for differing opinions.

“This system must remain intact and solid within the practice of democracy. One of its pillars is media freedom.

“If we refer to the views of Noam Chomsky (the author), media freedom also comes with several challenges, such as what he described as ‘manufacturing consent’, which is the use of instruments of power to craft a narrative that forces people to accept it,” he said when officiating the National Journalists’ Day (HAWANA) 2025 celebration at the World Trade Centre Kuala Lumpur (WTCKL) here today.

At the same time, Anwar called on media practitioners to remain professional and ethical in delivering news and to educate society to be more information-literate, so they are not easily deceived by slander or manipulation created by irresponsible parties. 

He said media practitioners and journalism figures must be wary of being influenced by ‘manufacturing dissent’ , which are efforts to create narratives that incite hatred, insult or slander others for certain interests.

“Difference of opinion is okay (but) not the fabrication of perceptions, insults and vilification of people, just as we reject the tyranny of the majority, as reminded by Thomas Jefferson (the author) who warned against using power to oppress and suppress,” he explained.

He said there must be balance in media freedom to ensure there is no oppression from ruling powers, racial extremists or desperate groups seeking power through ‘manufactured dissent’ resulting in a ‘tyranny of the minority’.

Meanwhile, Anwar said that in today’s communication landscape, the main challenge no longer centres solely on mainstream media, but increasingly comes from social media, which is far freer, faster, and less controlled.

“Our challenge now is how to make the most of the freedom we have. The information we deliver must be trustworthy, well-founded and not become a tool of oppression, whether by the ruling elite or by fanatical and desperate groups seeking power. 

“Sometimes the culture of deep reading and thoughtful assessment has faded. This is not something new,” he said.

HAWANA 2025, themed “Journalism in the New Era: Embracing AI, Safeguarding Ethics,” is being held over three days starting Friday, with participation of some 1,000 local and foreign media practitioners. 

Also present were Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Federal Territories) Datuk Seri Dr Zaliha Mustafa, Deputy Communications Minister Teo Nie Ching, Communications Ministry Secretary-General Datuk Mohamad Fauzi Md Isa, Malaysian National News Agency (Bernama) Chairman Datuk Seri Wong Chun Wai, Bernama Chief Executive Officer Datin Paduka Nur-ul Afida Kamaludin, and Bernama Editor-in-Chief Arul Rajoo Durar Raj, who is also HAWANA 2025 Project Director.

May 29 has been gazetted as National Journalists’ Day in conjunction with the first publication of Utusan Melayu on May 29, 1939, to commemorate the contributions of industry players who have been instrumental in shaping an informed society. — BERNAMA

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KUALA LUMPUR — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim (picture) has arrived at the World Trade Centre Kuala Lumpur (WTCKL) to officiate the highlight of the National Journalists’ Day (HAWANA) 2025 celebration.

He arrived at 11.45 am and was welcomed by Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil and his deputy Teo Nie Ching.

Also present were Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Federal Territories) Datuk Seri Dr Zaliha Mustafa; Ministry of Communications Secretary-General Datuk Mohamad Fauzi Md Isa; Bernama Chairman Datuk Seri Wong Chun Wai; Bernama Chief Executive Officer Datin Paduka Nur-ul Afida Kamaludin; and Bernama Editor-in-Chief Arul Rajoo Durar Raj, who is also the director of HAWANA 2025.

The Prime Minister is scheduled to address approximately 1,000 guests, comprising local and international media practitioners.

Themed “Journalism in the New Era: Embracing AI, Safeguarding Ethics”, HAWANA 2025 is organised by the Ministry of Communications, with Bernama as the implementing agency, and supported by various media organisations and strategic industry partners. 

The Prime Minister will also present the HAWANA 2025 Special Award and the HAWANA 2025 Award, to individuals who have made significant contributions in the field of journalism. In addition, he will present prizes to the winners of the HAWANA-DBP 2025 Pantun Festival, held on May 31.

In addition, he is scheduled to present contributions from the Tabung Kasih@HAWANA to three veteran journalists in need, as a gesture of appreciation and concern for media professionals who have shaped the landscape of journalism in the country.

Representatives from media associations, journalist clubs, and news organisations from Singapore, Indonesia, Japan, Kuwait, and China have gathered in the capital since Friday, participating in a series of programmes held in conjunction with the prestigious event, now in its fifth edition.

The HAWANA celebration was first introduced in 2018 to honour the contributions of journalists to national development, with May 29 chosen as the official date, in recognition of the first publication of “Utusan Melayu” in 1939. — BERNAMA

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