KUALA LUMPUR: The RM30 million allocation announced by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim for digital transformation will help media organisations adapt to the evolving media landscape, particularly in facing challenges posed by social media and meeting the expectations of the new generation, especially Gen Z.
Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil said the fund is one of the largest in the country’s journalism history and aims to strengthen the digital capabilities of local media organisations.
“This may be one of the largest allocations ever provided for the media — RM30 million.
“We hope this fund will help media organisations navigate the ongoing changes, especially the emergence of social media and the preferences of new readers and viewers, particularly Gen Z,” he told a press conference after the HAWANA 2025 highlight event at the World Trade Centre Kuala Lumpur (WTCKL) today.
Themed “Journalism in the New Era: Embracing AI, Safeguarding Ethics”, the event was officiated by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and attended by about 1,000 media practitioners from Malaysia and abroad.
Also present at the press conference were Communications Ministry secretary-general Datuk Mohamad Fauzi Md Isa, Capital A Bhd chief executive officer Tan Sri Tony Fernandes, and Bernama editor-in-chief Arul Rajoo Durar Raj, who is also HAWANA 2025 project director.
Fahmi said the fund was partly inspired by the success of a previous collaboration with Google, which involved over 30 media organisations in efforts to find new revenue sources through digital platforms.
This year, the partnership continues with a new initiative known as Project Sigma, named to reflect Gen Z’s interest in the term. The project aims to help media organisations better understand the content consumption behaviour of the younger generation.
“The results from Project Sigma were very encouraging. The RM30 million fund will not only support similar initiatives but also help media outlets explore new platforms, reach new audiences, and experiment with new formats in the pursuit of sustainability,” he said.
Fahmi added that the Communications Ministry will soon announce the mechanism for fund application and management.
On the one-off 50 per cent discount for round-trip tickets to any of the 57 ASEAN destinations, Fahmi said it was not only a token of appreciation from AirAsia to journalists, but also an opportunity to explore the region and strengthen regional ties.
He also announced that AirAsia plans to dedicate an aircraft to the media fraternity, with a journalism-themed plane featuring a special name, livery and design to be unveiled at a future event.
Earlier, the Prime Minister announced the RM30 million allocation to support the media industry’s adoption of digital technologies and the production of modern content.
HAWANA 2025, organised by the Communications Ministry with Bernama as the implementing agency, aims to recognise the contributions of media practitioners to national development.
May 29 has been gazetted as National Journalists’ Day, in conjunction with the first publication of Utusan Melayu on May 29, 1939, to honour the media’s role in shaping an informed and progressive society.
