HAWANA: Sultan Nazrin Shah allows journalists to deliver Friday sermon in Perak tomorrow

Perak Islamic Religious and Malay Customs Council (MAIPk) president Tan Sri Mohd Annuar Zaini, in a statement today, said the consent was given as a recognition of the important roles played by the group for the country.

"His Highness decreed that the Friday sermon in Perak on May 26 be delivered with a theme Kewartawanan: Menyempurnakan Tugas Berlandaskan Nilai-nilai Islam (Journalism: Accomplishing Tasks Based on Islamic Values).

"His Highness has consented to honour the media practitioners by allowing them to deliver the Friday sermon in mosques in Perak tomorrow," he said.

Mohd Annuar said the Sultan also consented to the three names proposed by Perak Broadcasting Department and Perak Media Practitioners Association to receive temporary accreditation to deliver the sermon.

They are Berita Harian editor (Feature, Religious and Literature) Mohd Nazmi Yaacob, who will deliver the Friday sermon at the State Mosque, the Masjid Sultan Idris Shah II; Sinar Harian reporter Saifullah Ahmad at Masjid Sultan Azlan Shah; and Radio Television Malaysia programme producer, Mohd Fahmi Mohd Nor, at Masjid Muhibbuddin Shah.

The HAWANA 2023 celebration will be held in Ipoh, Perak, from May 27-29 with the theme 'Free Media, Pillar of Democracy' to re-emphasise the issue of media freedom for journalists in carrying out their duties.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is scheduled to grace the highlight of the celebration on May 28.

The date May 29 was gazetted as National Journalists' Day in conjunction with the publication of the first newspaper in Malaysia, Utusan Melayu, on May 29, 1939, which became the first media platform in the country.