BANTEN, Jakarta, Indonesia: A total of 632 recipients has benefited from the Tabung Kasih@HAWANA fund as of Feb 6, reflecting the government’s commitment to supporting the welfare of Malaysia’s media community.
Malaysia’s Deputy Communications Minister, Teo Nie Ching, said the initiative, launched in 2023, is designed to care for media practitioners as strategic partners in national development.
“Tabung Kasih@HAWANA demonstrates the government’s ongoing concern and commitment to safeguarding the welfare of both current and former media personnel,” she said.
She was speaking at a luncheon and dialogue session with the Malaysian media and the Malaysia-Indonesia Journalists Friendship Association (ISWAMI) held here today.
To strengthen a healthy media ecosystem, Teo said the government established the Malaysia Media Council (MMM) in June 2025, modelled after Indonesia’s Dewan Pers, as an independent self-regulatory body.
“The council aims not only to reinforce journalistic ethics and responsible media freedom, but also to provide a professional and transparent public complaint channel to ensure community voices are heard.
“I am optimistic that this council will allow Malaysia to learn from the Dewan Pers’ experience while fostering closer cooperation between the two institutions.
“Through this collaboration, we hope to promote ethical, transparent and effective journalistic practices that support a sustainable, professional media industry closely connected to the public,” she said.
Teo also highlighted Malaysia’s Online Safety Act (ONSA) 2025, which came into effect on Jan 1 this year.
The legislation aims to hold digital platforms accountable for harmful content, including online scams, child sexual exploitation and cyberbullying, without curtailing legitimate freedom of speech.
“In line with ONSA, Malaysia is currently reviewing a minimum age of 16 for social media use, under a ‘Regulatory Sandbox’ phase.
“This is expected to be enforced in July, as part of the government’s effort to ensure a safe digital ecosystem for our children,” she said.
Teo pointed out that Malaysia climbed 19 places in the 2025 World Press Freedom Index, from 107 to 88, reflecting the government’s continuous efforts to strengthen responsible media freedom.
“However, the challenges facing the media are becoming more complex, particularly with the emergence of artificial intelligence (AI). Traditional media faces pressure, and we must revitalise the industry to remain relevant,” she said.
Also present at the event were acting president of ISWAMI Malaysia, Datuk Ahmad Zaini Kamaruzzaman; ISWAMI Indonesia’s President Asro Kamal Rokan; BERNAMA Chief Executive Officer, Datin Paduka Nur-ul Afida Kamaludin; ISWAMI Council member, Datuk Dr Jeniri Amir; and other officials.
