KUALA LUMPUR: Traditional Malay poetry, such as pantun, should be incorporated as one element in news content to enrich the way information is delivered in modern journalism, said the 2026 National Journalists' Day (Hawana 2026) project director Mohd Shukri Ishak.
He said the move allows for more creative news writing without compromising accuracy, in line with the fast-changing needs of the media industry.
Mohd Shukri, who is also the deputy editor-in-chief (News Service) of the Malaysian National News Agency (Bernama), said pantun can help convey information while giving journalists more variety in their writing and news content in the digital age.
"We hope this will help raise the standing of the Malay language in journalism. Pantun can also be used to deliver information and incorporated into news content to make it more informative for readers and the public," he told Bernama after the HawanaA-DBP Pantun Festival 2026 briefing and lot drawing here Thursday (April).
The Hawana-DBP Pantun Festival 2026 will be held on May 9 at Panggung Sari, Jalan Conlay Craft Complex, ahead of the Hawana 2026 celebration in June.
The champion will receive RM3,000, a trophy, and a certificate, while the runner-up will receive RM2,000 and the third-place finisher RM1,000, with all three also receiving a trophy and a certificate.
Mohd Shukri said the theme, Kewartawanan dan Teknologi (Journalism and Technology), was chosen to reflect the challenges the media industry now faces as technology continues to reshape it.
He said news used to be delivered more conventionally, but technology now plays a much bigger role in how journalists share information.
He expressed hope that the theme will inspire participants to express more meaningful messages about the challenges of journalism and the use of technology, including artificial intelligence in the field.
Meanwhile, Hawana-DBP Pantun Festival chief judge Azimin Daud said the second edition of the competition demonstrates Bernama's continued efforts to promote pantun as an effective means of communication.
He said participants are expected to present fresher pantun with clearer meaning that fit the theme.
Azimin, who is also a language planner at the DBP Academy, said pantun can encourage more courteous Malay among media practitioners while strengthening the national language's place in modern journalism. – Bernama
