KUALA LUMPUR, April 11 ― Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak today announced that National Journalists Day (Hawana) would be celebrated on May 29, beginning next year.

"The government has accepted the proposal to proclaim May 29 annually as National Journalists Day in commemoration of the publication of the first edition of Utusan Melayu on May 29, 1939,” he said while launching Hawana here today.

Earlier, Malaysian National News Agency (Bernama) general manager Datuk Zulkefli Salleh, who is also Hawana main committee chairman read out the Hawana Declaration 2017/2018 which agreed among others to set May 29 as the annual celebration date.

Also present at the event were Communications and Multimedia Minister (KKMM) Datuk Seri Dr Salleh Said Keruak, KKMM secretary general Tan Sri Dr Sharifah Zarah Syed Ahmad, Bernama chairman Datuk Seri Azman Ujang and Bernama editor-in-chief Datuk Zakaria Abdul Wahab.

About  1,000 Malaysian media practitioners as well as a number of their Asean counterparts also joined in the inaugural Hawana 2018 celebration.

Themed, "Championing the People, Building the Nation”, Hawana is aimed at gaining due recognition and appreciation for media practitioners in their contribution towards nation building and strengthening unity among the people.

Meanwhile, Najib said the government also lauded Hawana’s declaration to fight against fake news and curb the spread of false information.

The concept, "anyone can be a journalist” has become a trend as a result of the internet and information technology development explosion, he noted.

"This issue has become a concern to society because these citizen journalists are without basic training. They are virtually cyberspace writers, and write about things based only on their perception and understanding without referring or getting confirmation on the authenticity of the news or issue.” ― Bernama