KUALA LUMPUR: A total of 112 media practitioners took time off from their busy schedules to compete in the Media Bowling competition that was organised in conjunction with the 2024 National Journalists' Day (Hawana) celebrations at the Endah Parade in Bukit Jalil, near here today.
The participants represented various media organisations, news agencies and media associations, including the National News Agency of Malaysia (BERNAMA), Radio Televisyen Malaysia (RTM), Berita Harian, Media Prima Bhd, TV Al-Hijrah, Utusan Malaysia, Astro Awani, Malaysian Women Journalists Association (PERTAMA) and others.
Most of the media practitioners who took part in the competition described the event as a good platform to strengthen fellowship and networking among media practitioners, and as such, urged the organiser-Bernama to continue organising the event every year.
Bernama chief executive officer Nur-ul Afida Kamaludin said the bowling competition played among the media, is being organised for the third time by Bernama in conjunction with Hawana while the event is a platform to remain actively involved in sports as well as strengthen friendships among participants.
"I am also grateful because when we opened entries for participants in the competition, the response was overwhelming.
In fact, we had to reject some entries due to constraints at the venue since the number of bowling lanes was limited," she said.
Nur-ul Alfida added that Bernama will also organise other sports events like football and netball in conjunction with Hawana 2024 as an initiative to strengthen fellowship among media practitioners in the country.
"This is also something new because in the past we only focused on bowling competitions. We have now expanded the scope to other sports," she said.
Also present to provide support for the Media Bowling competition organised in conjunction with Hawana 2024 were Communications Ministry's Deputy Chief Secretary (Strategic Communications & Creative Industry) Nik Kamaruzaman Nik Husin, Bernama Editor-in-Chief Arul Rajoo Durar Raj and Deputy Editor-in-Chief (New Services) Nasriah Darus who is also the Deputy President of PERTAMA.
Meanwhile, RTM's broadcast journalist Nur Syamimi Syahira Saripan said sports events like the bowling competition is a positive initiative by the organiser to gather media practioners from various organisations and agencies to enjoy an activity that can help enhance fellowship among members in the media industry.
"Apart from taking part in the sports activity, the event also provides an opportunity to exchange ideas and feedback that can help strengthen their respective media organisations and I am excited to meet up friends from the various media organisations in Malaysia.
"Hope such events can be held from time to time," said Nur Syamimi, adding that they would continue to support such events by participating in other events organised in conjunction with Hawana, in the future.
Abdurrahman Kunyu, a TV Al-Hijrah broadcast journalist, said the sports event organised in conjunction with Hawana 2024 provided space and opportunity to know fellow media practitioners who are in the media industry."
What I experienced today was to get to know fellow media members whom I have never met before...from Berita Harian, TV3, Bernama, RTM and others through the media bowling competition.
"Therefore, the media bowling competition organised by BERNAMA in conjunction with Hawana was a perfect platform to further strengthen fellowship," he said adding that such programmes must be held regularly.
The media bowling competition saw 28 teams vying for RM9,000 cash and other attractive lucky prizes that included a Samsung Tab S6 lite SM.
The first Hawana was held on April 11, 2018, to appreciate and value the sacrifices and contributions of the media community as well as to enhance the professionalism among media practitioners in the country and provide a venue for journalists to gather and discuss various issues of mutual interest and issues faced by the media industry.