Local media practitioners who hold the Information Department media accreditation card will enjoy a one-off 50 percent discount on return airfares via AirAsia to 57 destinations in Asean.

Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil said it was an initiative resulting from strategic collaboration between the Communications Ministry and low-cost airline AirAsia in conjunction with Malaysia's Asean 2025 Chairmanship.

He said booking will open until Dec 31, 2025, while the travel period will be from April to September 2026 with details and ticket booking mechanism to be announced by the department soon.

"Thank you, AirAsia, for the generous initiative. This thoughtful gesture recognises the contributions of media practitioners and opens up greater opportunities for them to explore and connect with the Asean region.

"Such collaboration also truly uplifts the spirit of Hawana, celebrating the dedication and contributions of the media fraternity," he said when delivering his welcoming address at the National Journalists' Day (Hawana) 2025 Summit at World Trade Centre Kuala Lumpur today.

Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil

Themed "Journalism in the New Era: Embracing AI, Safeguarding Ethics,” the summit, which was attended by about 1,000 media practitioners from home and abroad, will be officiated by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.

Also present were Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Federal Territories) Dr Zaliha Mustafa and Deputy Communications Minister Teo Nie Ching.

Communications Ministry secretary-general Fauzi Isa, Bernama chairperson Wong Chun Wai, Bernama chief executive officer Nur-ul Afida Kamaludin, Bernama editor-in-chief Arul Rajoo Durar Raj, cum director of Hawana 2025 Project, along with the top management of the country's media companies also attended.

He said that as of June 4, 12,428 active media practitioners registered with the Information Department and held Media Accreditation Cards, including 12,297 Malaysians who served in various print, broadcast, digital and online news portal platforms.

The Hawana 2025 celebration, organised by the Communications Ministry with Bernama as the implementing agency, aims to recognise the role and contribution of media practitioners to the country's development.

May 29 was gazetted as National Journalists' Day in conjunction with the publication of the first edition of the Utusan Melayu newspaper on May 29, 1939, to celebrate the contributions of industry players.

- Bernama

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