malaysiang
KUALA LUMPUR, The National Journalists’ Day (HAWANA) 2024 celebration this May will witness for the first time the involvement of communication students through the ‘Jelajah Siswa’ programme.
Malaysian National News Agency (Bernama) chief executive officer Nur-ul Afida Kamaludin said the programme is being organised as an effort to expose communication students to the media and journalism industry.
‘The ‘Jelajah Siswa’ programme will cover six zones – Sabah, Sarawak, Northern, Eastern, Southern and Central – with the launch ceremony slated to be graced by Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil on May 24.
‘During the programme, two main topics would be given to the students, namely Fact Check and Mobile Journalism, which would help them to be an all-rounder journalist,’ she said when featured on Bernama TV’s talk show ‘Apa Khabar Malaysia’ to promote HAWANA 2024 today.
Nur-ul Afida, who is also the Chairperson of the HAWANA 2024 Working Committee, said that they would also contribute high-capacity desktop c
omputers and a television set that students can use during the programme.
According to Nur-ul Afida, the HAWANA 2024 celebration, which will take place in Kuching, Sarawak, had to be slightly adjusted and held from May 25 to 27 despite the actual National Journalists’ Day falls on May 29 every year.
‘The date of the celebration has to be brought forward because May 29 is too close to the Gawai Dayak Festival (annual harvest festival and public holiday celebrated by the Dayak people in Sarawak on June 1) and the Sarawak government has very well accepted it.
‘However, as the Communications Ministry’s implementing agency for HAWANA this year, Bernama has lined up various activities and side events for HAWANA 2024. The celebration will not only begin and end in Sarawak but will continue in Peninsular Malaysia,’ she said.
Nur-ul Afida said the HAWANA 2024 celebration will kick off with the International Media Conference organised by the Sarawak Public Communication Unit (UKAS) and a dinner hosted by Sarawak Pr
emier Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg for media practitioners involved, while the highlight of the celebration will be on May 27.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is also expected to attend HAWANA 2024, which enters its fourth edition this year, after being introduced in the capital city in 2018, followed by subsequent celebrations in Melaka (2022) and Perak (2023).
The HAWANA celebration serves as a platform for media practitioners to gather and discuss current issues facing the industry.
Source: BERNAMA News Agency
