KUALA LUMPUR: HAWANA 2025 Award recipient Datuk Yong Soo Heong has dedicated the recognition to all those involved in journalism.
Yong, who is also Malaysian Press Institute (MPI) president, said the award is a collective honour for all those who have guided and supported him throughout his career in the nation’s media industry, rather than a recognition of his contribution alone.
The former editor-in-chief and general manager of the Malaysian National News Agency (Bernama) also expressed hope that the national news agency would continue to uphold the highest standards and become a respected institution not only within Malaysia but globally.
“Bernama must be a respected news organisation, and its personnel must be more dynamic because ultimately, the staff are the backbone of the organisation.
“They need to work even harder to elevate Bernama’s reputation. The production of credible and well-crafted stories is vital. We need to learn how to tell compelling stories to attract readers, viewers and listeners. That is what matters,” he said after receiving the award at the HAWANA 2025 highlight celebration at the World Trade Centre Kuala Lumpur (WTCKL) here today.
The veteran newsman received the award from Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, witnessed by Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil and Bernama Chairman Datuk Seri Wong Chun Wai.
Also present were 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.
Looking back on his career, Yong recalled serving as a business desk journalist at Bernama in 1991, during which he was specially selected to write an article aimed at stabilising the then-volatile stock market.
In 1998, he appeared in a prime-time live interview on Radio Televisyen Malaysia (RTM) to speak on the implementation of currency control measures on the Malaysian Ringgit (RM).
On the RM30 million allocation announced by the Prime Minister for digital transformation initiatives, Yong said the funds could be used by media agencies to upgrade staff skills and strengthen their ability to face evolving industry challenges.
“This is a positive injection (of funds) that can enhance the capabilities of local media agencies through training or advanced equipment to improve news delivery and strengthen operational efficiency,” he said.
The HAWANA Award recognises and honours professional journalists, individuals or organisations that have made significant contributions not only in journalism but also in shaping public awareness through their work.
The inaugural HAWANA Award was posthumously conferred to the Father of Independence and Malaysia’s first Prime Minister, the late Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haj in 2018, followed by the Karangkraf Group (2022), renowned cartoonist Datuk Lat (Datuk Mohd Nor Khalid) in 2023 and late veteran journalist James Alexander Ritchie, widely known as James Ritchie, in 2024.
