KUALA LUMPUR – Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is expected to make several important announcements regarding the direction of the country’s media industry at the National Journalists’ Day (Hawana) celebration in Ipoh, Perak tomorrow.
Communications and Digital Minister Fahmi Fadzil said the government has always been discussing the direction of the media industry, which is currently facing various pressures, including from the economic side, as well as technological developments that are driving changes in the aspect of newspaper publishing.
“Economic pressure and these (technological) developments have an impact on the sustainability of the media industry, and not least the welfare of media practitioners. All these aspects are indeed given attention by the government.
“Tomorrow, the prime minister will deliver the keynote address at Hawana, and we can expect that some important announcements will be made, especially about the direction of the media industry,” he said at a press conference after launching the logo and theme of National Day and Malaysia Day 2023 at Esplanade, KLCC Park today.
Fahmi said that matters related to the establishment of the Malaysian Media Council are also expected to be touched upon at the Hawana celebration this time.
The three-day Hawana 2023 celebration, themed “Free Media, The Pillar of Democracy”, which aims to re-emphasise the issue of media freedom for journalists, began today.
The prime minister is scheduled to grace the celebration tomorrow.
May 29 was gazetted as National Journalists’ Day, in conjunction with the publication of the first edition of Malay newspaper Utusan Melayu on May 29, 1939. – Bernama, May 27, 2023