IPOH, May 29 — Communications and Digital Minister Fahmi Fadzil has expressed his commitment to uplifting the dignity of media practitioners and facilitating the group in its work.

While wishing a happy National Journalists’ Day (Hawana) to media personnel in a post on his Facebook page today, Fahmi recalled the heroic acts of the group during the landslide disaster in Batang Kali, Selangor, last December.

Fahmi said that he had witnessed firsthand the extraordinary sacrifices of the media who covered the events surrounding the tragedy.

"Among the recent disasters is the Batang Kali tragedy. I had only been a minister for less than two weeks at the time.

"The media practitioners had gathered for days (at ground zero) just to report the latest status to the people,” he said.

Themed ‘Media Bebas, Tunjang Demokrasi’ (Free Media, Pillar of Democracy), Hawana 2023 was officiated by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim at the Casuarina Convention Centre in Meru Raya here, yesterday.

The date May 29 was gazetted as National Journalists’ Day in conjunction with the publication of the first edition of the Malay newspaper, Utusan Melayu, on May 29, 1939. — Bernama