HAWANA 2024 CAMPUS TOUR A GREAT SUCCESS BY BERNAMA - FAHMI

KUALA NERUS, Dec 12 (Bernama) -- Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil praised the six-series National Journalists' Day (HAWANA) Campus Tour, organised by the Malaysian National News Agency (Bernama) this year, as a great success.

He commended Bernama for the seamless execution of all HAWANA events, led by chief executive officer Datin Paduka Nur-ul Afida Kamaludin; and the agency's editor-in-chief, who also serves as the director of the HAWANA 2024 project, Arul Rajoo Durar Raj.

"I am immensely proud of the Bernama team, under the leadership of Nur-ul Afida and Arul Rajoo. They have not only successfully managed the internal workings of Bernama, but have also ensured the smooth execution of the HAWANA programme," Fahmi said.

The Minister shared this with reporters after attending the final leg of the HAWANA 2024 Campus Tour, in the Eastern Zone, at Sultan Zainal Abidin University (UniSZA), which was also attended by Nur-ul Afida, Arul Rajoo, and UniSZA vice-chancellor, Prof Datuk Dr Fadzli Adam.

He emphasised that the HAWANA 2024 Campus Tour, which concluded today, played a crucial role in raising awareness about journalism among students. Moreover, it has fostered stronger connections between agencies like Bernama and budding journalists, helping to bridge the gap between media professionals and students embarking on their careers in journalism.

Meanwhile, Fahmi shared that the Ministry of Communications is currently drafting a proposal to expand the HAWANA 2024 Campus Tour, next year, to include polytechnic institutions, in addition to broadening several modules within the programme.

"For instance, many have raised concerns about topics such as news verification and the influence of artificial intelligence (AI) on the journalism industry. We hope to address these issues, and make several improvements for next year’s edition," he explained.

"Insya-Allah, the programme will expand to polytechnics, and I believe we can collaborate with other relevant parties to make it happen," he added.

Fahmi also expressed his hope that the programme, which this year reached over 2,000 students and lecturers, across 16 public universities, would attract even more participants in the coming year.

Furthermore, he emphasised that next year's HAWANA 2024 Campus Tour should involve a wider range of stakeholders, including academics and non-governmental organisations (NGOs).

Fahmi highlighted the need for broader collaboration to significantly increase participation.

"One of the major challenges in journalism today is social media. Whether we like it or not, areas such as Mobile Journalism and how to effectively use social media for reporting, are skills which need to be learned," he explained.

He further emphasised the importance of engaging more partners, including academics and NGOs, to enhance the programme's impact.

"We are hopeful that during the National Journalists' Day (HAWANA) celebration, in May 2025, we can kickstart the programme," he added.

Earlier in the day, the event witnessed UniSZA, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu and Universiti Malaysia Kelantan, each receiving donations in the form of a high-capacity computer set and a smart television. 

The event also featured three interactive workshops designed to equip students with relevant skills for the digital era. These included a Mobile Journalism session led by Bernama journalists, a fact-checking workshop conducted by Bernama editors, and a 'Klik Dengan Bijak' talk presented by officials from the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC).

-- BERNAMA