Kuala lumpur: The Johor government is considering financing short overseas courses at prestigious universities to improve the skills of media practitioners within the state. Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi emphasized that this initiative aligns with the state's agenda of talent development, which is currently a primary focus.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Onn Hafiz highlighted the commitment from renowned universities such as the University of Oxford, Harvard University, and Stanford University in supporting this talent development through strategic collaboration with the state government. He expressed the government's openness to supporting these educational opportunities, stating, "Our door is always open and we will support (covering the costs of) short courses. As I have said, our agenda (of talent development) is very clear and we want you (the media practitioners) to become part of this agenda."

The announcement was made during the launch of the 2025 Johor Media Award (AMJ) at the Persada Johor International Convention Centre, an event attended by over 300 media practitioners, government agency representatives, and strategic partners from the Johor Media Club (KMJ) and Gabungan Kelab Media Malaysia (GKMM). Also present was the KMJ president Mohamad Fauzi Ishak.

Onn Hafiz also mentioned that initiatives like the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ) have kept Johor in the spotlight, creating opportunities for collaboration with various institutions, including these leading universities. The AMJ 2025 aimed to strengthen the cooperation between the state government and the media community, recognizing the media's role in delivering accurate information and fostering a positive image for Johor.

The award ceremony featured 24 contested categories, celebrating the contributions of media practitioners to the state's development and communication efforts.