KUALA LUMPUR, June 14: The Malaysian Media Council (MMC) Act came into effect yesterday (June 14), said Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil.
Fahmi said he signed the gazette to enforce the Act, marking a significant milestone in reform for media practitioners.
“The Malaysian Media Council Act takes effect on June 14, 2025, coinciding with the National Journalists’ Day (HAWANA) (celebration). We symbolically chose to gazette and enforce the Malaysian Media Council Act in conjunction with HAWANA 2025,” he told a press conference following the HAWANA 2025 highlight at the Kuala Lumpur World Trade Centre (WTCKL) here yesterday.
Themed ‘Journalism in the New Era: Embracing AI, Safeguarding Ethics’, the event, attended by some 1,000 media practitioners from within and outside the country, was officiated by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
Fahmi said the MMC founding board comprises 12 members, with four representatives from each category: media companies, media associations, media practitioners and independent media practitioners, as well as non-media members. A meeting with the 12 members of the MMC’s founding board will be held soon to facilitate the council’s development process.
Meanwhile, Malaysian Press Institute (MPI) President Datuk Yong Soo Heong was honoured with the HAWANA 2025 Award in recognition of his lifelong contribution to journalism, at the National Journalists’ Day (HAWANA) 2025 main celebration held at the World Trade Centre yesterday.
Yong is also currently the Editor-in-Chief of The Weekly Echo news portal.
The award was presented by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and witnessed by Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil; Malaysian National News Agency (Bernama) chairman Datuk Seri Wong Chun Wai; its chief executive officer, Datin Paduka Nur-ul Afida Kamaludin; and editor-in-chief Arul Rajoo Durar Raj, who also served as HAWANA 2025 project director.
With nearly five decades of experience in the media industry, Yong, 70, began his journalism career with The Star and The Straits Echo, local newspapers in Penang, before joining Bernama on Aug 15, 1974.
He held several key positions at Bernama, including editor-in-chief and general manager, and played an instrumental role in developing the agency’s editorial style guide to ensure consistent, high-quality reporting.
Yong also strengthened Bernama’s commercial arm by introducing initiatives to boost revenue and reduce dependence on government funding. This reflected Yong’s business acumen, honed through his years of experience in the Economic News Service during his time at the agency. His expertise in business reporting and strong ties with a wide network of corporate leaders proved highly valuable, particularly in attracting more commercial entities to advertise on the www.bernama.com news portal, further reinforcing Bernama’s relevance and reach.
The HAWANA Award recognises and honours professional journalists, individuals, or organisations that have made significant contributions not only to journalism but also to shaping public discourse through their work.
The inaugural HAWANA Award was posthumously presented in 2018 to the Father of Independence and Malaysia’s first Prime Minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haj. Subsequent recipients include Karangkraf Group (2022), renowned cartoonist Datuk Lat (2023), and veteran journalist James Alexander Ritchie (2024).
— BERNAMA