Yong says the sponsorship will also be spent on upskill training for media personnel, the corporate sector and government agencies.
A total of 548 entries have been received from media practitioners vying for recognition in Malaysia’s journalism awards.
Malaysian Press Institute (MPI) said there were a total of 60 entries more than the previous year.
Fifty-eight media organisations from all over the country, including Sabah and Sarawak, are participating in MPI-PETRONAS Malaysian Journalism Awards 2024, which will be held in conjunction with a media night in Kuala Lumpur on June 20.
MPI chief executive officer Ainol Amriz Ismail said the event had garnered up to RM1.25mil in sponsorship, with PETRONAS putting in RM450,000 as the main sponsor for award night prizes.
The media practitioners are competing in both traditional and emerging media formats, comprising 21 categories including environmental, social and governance (ESG) journalism, radio broadcasting, podcasting, video documentary work, live streaming, and investigative reporting.
For the media night, MPI collaborated with Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) and received RM799,500 in sponsorship from 51 organisations, including corporate entities, ministries, government agencies, and media organisations.
“The total amount of sponsorships is 15% more than last year,” Ainol Amriz said during a sponsors appreciation event in Petaling Jaya, Selangor.
“The number of organisations has also increased, from only 22 last year.
“The increase is a sign of confidence in MPI,” he added.
A town hall on how corporations, government agencies, and sponsors could obtain opportunities for coverage in the media was also held during the event attended by 130 representatives of 41 organisations.
MPI president Datuk Yong Soo Heong, in a press conference after the event, said sponsorship for the awards had several main selling points.
“One is to be able to attend a function where the best in Malaysian media will be in the same room.
“Sponsors will be able to mingle with the editors, chief editors and reporters to get to know how they work.
“They can improve their ways when it comes to interacting with the media to achieve higher visibility.
“It is also a prestigious event. This year, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof will be attending the event,” he said.
Yong said the money received from sponsors would also go towards upskill training, not only for journalists but also those working in corporate and government agencies.
“What you see today is not just a form of contribution and encouragement.
“It is also a sign of lasting friendship which has taken time to build,” said Yong, adding that MPI had been receiving support for its awards night for the past 45 years.
Some 1,000 guests are expected to attend the awards night.
To mark the occasion, a coffee-table book detailing the generosity of its major sponsors and featuring the work of former journalists will be one of the souvenirs.
