From "FreePress Media" to "Integrity Media" you can really feel how much the vibes of HAWANA have changed since 2023.
Back then, I was there representing the National Press Club Of Malaysia, thanks to the support from the president and the senior EXCO members. The energy was alive. People networking, laughing, sharing stories from the newsroom grind. And the HAWANA Media Hunt? That brought everyone together like family on the move.
Then the years kept rolling.
2024 came with "Core Ethics of Sustainable Journalism" out in Kuching, Sarawak. A year later, 2025 switched the tone again in Kuala Lumpur with "New Era Journalism: Balancing AI and Ethics."
You could feel the industry trying to adapt to a world moving too fast AI rising, public trust falling, everybody chasing clicks while still trying to hold on to credibility.
But beyond all the fancy themes and conference slogans, one thing that really mattered was the 'Tabung Kasih@HAWANA'. That wasn't just another headline or PR campaign. That was real help for real people in the media industry.
Since April 2023, around 740 media practitioners reportedly received assistance from the fund. Journalists, retired reporters, media workers people who spent years chasing stories, surviving deadlines, carrying cameras in the rain, writing through exhaustion finally getting some support when the going gets really tough.
The fund was created for media workers dealing with health problems or financial struggles, and by April 2026, about RM2.2 million had already been distributed. That's not just numbers on paper. That's hospital bills covered. Families helped. Retired journalists getting a little breathing room after whatever little savings have dried up.
PMX Anwar Ibrahim stepped in with another RM1 million allocation in 2024 and again in 2025 to continue supporting active and retired media workers.
The fund is managed by Bernama, and starting July 2024, it also includes one year of SOCSO contributions for part-time media staff. For freelancers and temporary media workers living contract to contract, that kind of support means more than people realize.
Because behind every headline, every viral story, every breaking news alert — there's still a human being trying to survive the system too.
This year hit different…
"Integrity Media, Credibility Core" that's the slogan for HAWANA 2026, with the big finale going down in Penang on June 20, 2026. They talkin' about new business models for the media industry, new directions, new money, new survival strategies. But deep down, a lotta people still wonder where this whole game really headed.
See, once media starts chasing business too hard, reputation becomes currency. And in this digital world, currency can crash overnight. Back in the day, if somebody was unhappy, maybe they whispered to a few friends, maybe complained quietly over coffee. Now? One TikTok clip. One Facebook post. One angry thread on X. Boom somebody's whole name buried before sunrise.
That's the dangerous part about social media. People react before they reflect. Emotion moves faster than truth. Anger spreads faster than facts ever could.
Sensational headlines get rewarded while balance and verification get left behind in the dust. Even a small misunderstanding can explode into a nationwide firestorm.
Take Albert Tei and Rafidah Ibrahim for example. "Bagai Pinang Di Belah Dua" two sides of the same coin. They present themselves as warriors for the people, fighters against corruption and injustice. But critics say at the same time, they've also been accused of spreading information that wasn't fully verified or accurate.
And that's where the line gets blurry.
Even some local platforms like MalaysiaKini have caught heat for giving controversial figures a spotlight without fully answering questions about verification and accuracy. And people notice that. They always do.
In this era, credibility ain't just a slogan on a banner no more.
It's survival.
Malaysiakini's hero: The state of Malaysia's journalism where serial, confessed bribers are the newsmakers
False allegations, edited screenshots, fake news articles and manipulated videos can circulate quickly online. Where has integrity gone in the media landscape?
Is this what Malaysiakini's "New Business Model for the Media Industry" means?
By monopolizing narratives based on the desires of certain individuals to reap corporate profits without regard for National Sovereignty, then it is true as a real business style...
PMX may need to focus on the Integrity Business Model, New Media Industry Landscape. Because in this day and age readers don't judge the storyline, they judge "Who's Paying You"..
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