The government plans to have the Malaysian National Journalists Day beginning this year to recognise and appreciate the contributions of the media practitioners to the nation.

Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Minister Datuk Seri Dr Salleh Said Keruak said the time had come to demonstrate the appreciation by feting the media practitioners.

Thus, he said, his ministry would discuss and cooperate with the country's media organisation leaderships to choose the date and implement the journalists day as an annual event.

"We will also invite the Indonesian Journalists Association to celebrate the Malaysian National Journalists Day as is being done in conjunction with the National Press Day held in Indonesia each year," he said.

He disclosed this to reporters after attending the 'Meet the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Minister' event with Indonesian and Malaysian media chief editors in conjunction with the Indonesian National Press Day here yesterday.

More than 40 Malaysian and Indonesian media organisation leaders including Bernama General Manager Datuk Zulkefli Salleh, and Bernama Editor-in-Chief Datuk Zakaria Abdul Wahab attended the event.

Also present were Senior Advisor of the Indonesian National News Agency (Antara), Saiful Hadi and General Secretary of the Indonesian Journalists Association, Hendri Bangun.

Salleh also led a delegation of 20 Malaysian media practitioners to attend the launching of the Indonesian National Press Day by President Joko Widodo, here today.

He said the government also appreciated the existence of Iswami (Ikatan Setiakawan Wartawan Malaysia-Indonesia) as an effort to forge closer ties between Malaysian journalists and their Indonesian counterparts.

He said such ties clearly translated the close unity between the peoples of the two countries.

"In terms of unity, we should boost cooperation and adopt an open attitude by not considering differences as an obstacle to any cooperation," he said.

Meanwhile, Zulkefli, who is also the President of Iswami Malaysia, said the invitation to Malaysian media practitioners to attend the Indonesian National Press Day as an opportunity to widen cooperation between the peoples of Malaysia and Indonesia.

He said the ties had brought closer the relationship between the peoples of a common root as well as in sharing understanding of the similarities in the culture and language. -- Bernama