Kuala lumpur: The Malaysian National News Agency (Bernama) clinched five awards across four categories at the Housing and Local Government Ministry (KPKT) Media Excellence Awards (AkeMedia) 2025 ceremony. Housing and Local Government Minister Nga Kor Ming presented the awards to the winners.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, two Bernama staff members achieved first place accolades. Johor Bernama bureau chief Hasnah Jusid secured the Best Social Media Content 2025 award with her work entitled 'Dari Flat Usang ke Harapan Baru Bandar'. Meanwhile, Terengganu Bernama photographer Mohd Khairul Fikiri Osman won the Best Photojournalism 2025 award. Both winners received RM3,000 in cash, along with a trophy and certificate.
Additionally, Kelantan Bernama journalist Mohd Noor Iqram Rosli earned third place in the Best Social Media Content 2025 category for his article 'Portal Teduh: Akses Informasi Perumahan'. Economic News Service journalist Abdul Hamid A Rahman also won third place in the Best Published Article 2025 category with a series exploring the maintenance fee issue in Malaysian strata developments.
The Bernama Radio broadcasting journalist team, consisting of Siti Hashmarr Mohd Hashim, Nurul Shuhadah Armawan, and Edlynna Hanie Abu Hamid, achieved third place for Best Radio Broadcast 2025 with their broadcast 'Lambakan Rumah Tidak Terjual: Mampu Milik atau Hanya Mimpi?'. All third place winners received RM1,000 in cash, along with a trophy and certificate.
Bernama Chief Executive Officer Datin Paduka Nur-ul Afida Kamaludin, present at the award ceremony, expressed her hope that Bernama's success will continue in the coming years. She remarked on the unexpected wins among the 240 entries, emphasizing her pride in the young journalists' achievements.
Minister Nga highlighted in his opening address the evolving role of communications as a strategic partnership in disseminating government policies, underscoring the importance of transparency and public awareness. He acknowledged the challenges posed by social media and artificial intelligence, describing modern communications technology as a double-edged sword that can aid in quickly spreading messages but also risk misinterpretation and misinformation.
Nga emphasized the importance of close cooperation between the media and government in developing a mature and responsible communications ecosystem.