KUCHING: Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim (pic) has announced an additional allocation of RM1mil for Tabung Kasih@Hawana for 2025.
The Prime Minister delivered the good news at the highlight of the National Journalists’ Day (Hawana) 2024 celebration on Monday (May 27).
"I want to extend it because last year I announced RM1mil for Tabung Kasih@Hawana, so I will continue with the RM1mil allocation for Tabung Kasih@Hawana," he said in his opening speech here.
When opening Hawana 2023 in Ipoh, Perak, Anwar had also announced a RM1mil allocation for the fund.
Also present were Sarawak Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg, Sarawak Deputy Premiers Datuk Ammar Douglas Uggah Embas and Datuk Amar Dr Sim Kui Hian, Deputy Minister in the Premier's Department (Corporate Affairs, Information and Sarawak Public Communication Unit {Ukas]) Datuk Abdullah Saidol, Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil and his deputy Teo Nie Ching.
Also in attendance were Malaysian National News Agency (Bernama) chairman Datuk Seri Wong Chun Wai, chief executive officer Nur-ul Afida Kamaludin and editor-in-chief Arul Rajoo Durar Raj.
Earlier, in his welcoming speech at the event, Fahmi said that so far, 102 former and current media practitioners in need have been assisted since the initiative was introduced last year.
Tabung Kasih@Hawana was established in conjunction with the Hawana 2023 celebration to support journalists and media personnel, both active and retired, who are ill or in need of assistance.
This initiative by the Communications Ministry is implemented through Bernama.
Hawana is the largest gathering of journalists in Malaysia and this year's edition, themed "Etika Teras Kewartawanan Mapan", is held in Sarawak for the first time.
The Prime Minister also met with foreign journalists participating in the National Journalists' Day (Hawana) 2024 celebration here.
The 15-minute meeting was also attended by Sarawak Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg and Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil.
Kuala Lumpur Al Jazeera bureau chief Samer Fariq Mohammad Allawi, who was present at the meeting, said the Prime Minister shared his thoughts on several topics including media freedom and geopolitical issues during the meet-up.
"Anwar was kind enough to meet foreign journalists in Malaysia. He spoke about geopolitical issues in southeast Asia and his views about stability of this region.
"He (Anwar) also conveys supports for the freedom of the media and its limits, it was a brief discussion, but a good one,” he told Bernama.
About 1,000 guests comprising media practitioners from Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, the Philippines, Brunei, Vietnam, Cambodia, Timor Leste, China, South Korea, Qatar, France and Kuwait have gathered here since last Saturday for the three-day celebration.
Hawana 2024 is organised by the Communications Ministry in collaboration with the Sarawak government, with Bernama being the implementing agency.
May 29 has been gazetted as National Journalists' Day, in conjunction with the publication of the maiden edition of Utusan Melayu on May 29, 1939, to celebrate the contributions of media practitioners.- Bernama
