142 Bernama Staff Honoured...

The National News Agency of Malaysia (Bernama) today honoured 142 staff in appreciation of their excellent service, long service and retirement.

The awards were presented by Bernama chairman Datuk Seri Azman Ujang, General Manager Datuk Zulkefli Salleh and Editor-in-Chief Datuk Zakaria Abdul Wahab during a glittering ceremony that was attended by about 200 staff from various departments.
Among the notable names on the retirement list were Zakaria and Bernama deputy-editor-in-chief (Economic News Service) Mikhail Raj Abdullah.

Azman in his speech thanked the staff of Bernama for their contribution, commitment and services to the agency and wished those who will be retiring soon, a pleasant retirement.

He said through the hard work, commitment and passion for excellent services of the staff, Bernama, a news agency that was established in 1967 to provide credible news and information, would be celebrating its 50th anniversary next month (May).

"Despite the widespread phenomenon of spreading unauthenticated news on social media, Bernama has remained a news agency with credibility and a source of information that is correct and reliable. However, we need to work hard to compete with the social media in terms of speed," he said.

Azman also reminded the staff to not remain in the comfort zone but raise the bar of Bernama s news service by becoming efficient and effective newsmen.
"Though Bernama is a government agency whereby the staff need not worry about their next month's salary like what is happening in some private companies, we must not sit back and be complacent with our work but rather improve the quality of service to remain competitive," he said.

Bernama general manager Zulkefli urged the staff of Bernama to maintain the image of the agency, especially in terms of the credibility of news and information released.

"We are able to provide credible news. That is our asset compared with citizen journalist who spread information or news without checking the authenticity of the subject. We will continue to be a news agency with credibility by guiding the younger generation of journalist to adopt to true ethics of journalism," he said.

Meanwhile, a long service award recipient, Mohd Wahid Md Som, 58, who has already served Bernama for 40 years, said he has seen the agency grow by leaps and bound through the hard work and commitment of all the staff, past and present.

"In Bernama, there is a strong bonding and understanding among the staff. We are like a family," said Mohd Wahid who works in Bernama s Information and Library Centre (Infolib).

Mohd Wahid from Kampung Rinching Hilir, Bangi joined Bernama on Nov 20, 1976 when he was only 18.

-- BERNAMA