PACKED SCHEDULE FOR FAHMI'S VISIT TO SARAWAK STARTS TODAY

KUCHING, May 24 (Bernama) -- The busy schedule of Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil who arrived last night for a five-day working visit to the state, commenced with paying a courtesy call on the Sarawak Governor Tun Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar at Astana Negeri, this morning.

The minister was accompanied by Malaysian National News Agency (Bernama) chief executive officer Nur-ul Afida Kamaludin, editor-in-chief Arul Rajoo Durar Raj and Sarawak Bureau chief Hamdan Ismail.

Fahmi then visited the exhibition site of the 2024 National Journalists' Day (HAWANA 2024), at Plaza Merdeka, here, before he performed Friday prayers at the Masjid India Bandar Raya Kuching, better known as the Floating Mosque of Kuching.

He then spent time with staff of his ministry's departments and agencies serving in Sarawak, in a luncheon held at the Sarawak Islamic Complex, before attending the SMART600 Multi Operator Core Network (MOCN) Agreement signing ceremony, which was also attended by Sarawak Utility and Communications Minister Datuk Seri Julaihi Narawi, at Hikmah Exchange.

Fahmi is also scheduled to attend a special interview session with Bernama, Radio Televisyen Malaysia (RTM) and TV Sarawak (TVS) this evening.

Tomorrow, he is scheduled to attend a dialogue session with the students at the HAWANA 2024 Excursion with Students programme, jointly organised by Bernama and Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS), at the Pustaka Negeri.

The HAWANA 2024 Excursion with Students, to be held for the first time, will involve 300 students and will also be attended by the Deputy Minister in the Sarawak Premier's Department (Corporate Affairs, Information and Sarawak Public Communication Unit) (UKAS), Datuk Abdullah Saidol.

In the afternoon, Fahmi will launch the HAWANA 2024 Exhibition involving 20 exhibitors including media organisations from inside and outside Sarawak.

On Sunday, Fahmi is scheduled to attend the Sarawak Media Conference (SMeC) 2024, in conjunction with HAWANA 2024, which will be officiated by the Premier of Sarawak Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg, in addition to attending a dinner reception with the Governor of Sarawak.

Also on the same day, he will hold a meeting with Sarawak's MADANI Community and representatives from Reporters Without Borders.

Then on Monday, he will meet with service providers under the National Digital Network Plan (JENDELA) programme, to be followed by a visit to the 'Point of Presence' (PoP) project near the city.

Fahmi is also scheduled to deliver a speech at the HAWANA 2024 Summit in the afternoon, which will be officiated by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and attended by Abang Johari.

-- BERNAMA