KUALA LUMPUR: The government has allocated RM53,100 this year for two welfare initiatives for part-time media practitioners — the extension of the Self-Employment Social Security Scheme (SKSPS) under the Social Security Organisation (Socso) and contributions to the i-Saraan scheme under the Employees Provident Fund (EPF).
Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil said that of the total amount, RM37,170 was allocated for the extension of SKSPS coverage, which benefited 531 part-time media practitioners for a period of one year last year, while the remaining RM15,930 was for i-Saraan EPF contributions.
He said the initiative was implemented through the synergy between the Malaysian National News Agency (Bernama) and Socso.
“Among the benefits under the SKSPS are medical benefits, temporary disablement benefits, permanent disablement benefits, dependants’ benefits, funeral management benefits and constant attendance allowance,” he said in his welcoming speech at the highlight of the National Journalists’ Day (HAWANA) 2025 celebration at the World Trade Centre Kuala Lumpur (WTCKL) here today.
The event, themed “Journalism in the New Era: Embracing AI, Safeguarding Ethics”, was officiated by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and attended by about 1,000 media practitioners from Malaysia and abroad.
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Federal Territories) Datuk Seri Dr Zaliha Mustafa and Deputy Communications Minister Teo Nie Ching were among those present.
Also present were Communications Ministry secretary-general Datuk Mohamad Fauzi Md Isa, Bernama chairman Datuk Seri Wong Chun Wai, Bernama chief executive officer Datin Paduka Nur-ul Afida Kamaludin, Bernama editor-in-chief Arul Rajoo Durar Raj, who is also HAWANA 2025 project director, and the top management of local media companies.
Fahmi said that this year, protection for part-time media practitioners has been expanded to include retirement savings under the i-Saraan scheme, involving an allocation of RM15,930, and the initiative will benefit them upon retirement.
On the Tabung Kasih@HAWANA, established in April 2023, Fahmi said that to date, 441 media practitioners nationwide have benefited from the initiative, with contributions amounting to over RM1.2 million.
The HAWANA 2025 celebration is organised by the Ministry of Communications with Bernama as the implementing agency, aimed at recognising the role and contributions of media practitioners to national development.
May 29 has been gazetted as National Journalists’ Day, in conjunction with the first publication of the Utusan Melayu newspaper on May 29, 1939.
