KUALA LUMPUR: TV3’s Islamic Content Department emerged as the champion of the inaugural HAWANA–Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (DBP) Pantun Festival 2025, defeating the Astro Radio News team in the final of the Malay quatrain competition, held in conjunction with this year’s National Journalists’ Day (HAWANA) celebration.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim presented prizes to the champion and runner-up at the HAWANA 2025 celebration held at the World Trade Centre Kuala Lumpur (WTCKL) today.
TV3’s Islamic Content Department took home RM3,000, a trophy and a certificate of participation, while Astro Radio News received RM2,000, a trophy and a certificate.
Radio Televisyen Malaysia (RTM) and the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (JAKIM) placed third and fourth, respectively, in the competition, which saw the participation of eight teams.
A total of 32 participants took part in the inaugural event at Wisma Bernama, held as a curtain-raiser to the HAWANA 2025 celebration that began on May 31.
TV3’s Islamic Content Department team head Ahmad Fedtri Yahya described the win as highly meaningful, following two weeks of anxious waiting for the results.
“I couldn’t sleep well, especially last night. It has been a while since I last competed, so I was still really nervous. Honestly, I was a bit scared because people had such high hopes when they heard I would be competing.
“But Alhamdulillah, we managed to become champions. I’m really grateful for that,” said the television personality and pantun activist.
He expressed hope that such competitions would continue to be held in future.
“I really hope this tradition continues. Even when I’m old, I’ll still come, if not as a judge, then as someone in the crowd. Pantun is close to my heart and I fully support the continuation of this competition,” he said.
HAWANA 2025 is organised by the Ministry of Communications, in collaboration with the Malaysian National News Agency (Bernama) as the implementing agency, with support from various media organisations and strategic industry partners.
Carrying the theme “Journalism in the New Era: Embracing AI, Safeguarding Ethics”, the event drew the participation of approximately 1,000 local and international media practitioners.
In addition to the pantun festival, various events were organised in conjunction with the HAWANA 2025 celebration – the fifth edition since its inception in 2018.
The HAWANA 2025 Carnival, being held at Sunway Putra Mall from June 13 to 15, features 20 exhibition booths involving major media agencies, government departments and private companies, such as Bernama, RTM, Astro, Media Prima Berhad, the Department of Information (JaPen), and the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC).
Among the highlights of the HAWANA Carnival are the BERNAMA mini-conti, pocket talks, showcases of BERNAMA services, free digital newspaper giveaways from New Straits Times Press Berhad, quizzes, and news reading challenges organised by Media Prima Berhad.
The HAWANA 2025 Forum, jointly organised by Bernama and the Malaysian Press Institute (MPI), was held this morning at the Tun Hussein Onn Hall, WTCKL, discussing the topic “Malaysian Media Council: Regulator or Media Protector?”, followed by a technology-sharing session titled “AI & Media: Tool, Threat or Opportunity?”.
HAWANA 2025 also received sponsorship and contributions from nearly 100 strategic partners.
