BERNAMA BOARD WELCOMES ELECTRONIC, DIGITAL MEDIA REPS FOR FIRST TIME

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 8 (Bernama) -- For the first time, representatives from electronic and digital media organisations have been appointed to the Board of Governors of the Malaysian National News Agency (Bernama).

This move comes in line with recent amendments to the BERNAMA Act 1967, which broaden the board’s membership to include both media platforms.

Minister of Communications Datuk Fahmi Fadzil today presented appointment letters to Mohamad Sardon Zainal, Chief Media Officer of Sarawak Media Group Sdn Bhd, and Azeem Abu Bakar, Managing Director of Free Malaysia Today Media, who were appointed as permanent members of the board for a two-year term effective Sept 1, 2025, until Aug 31, 2027.

At the ceremony held at Wisma Bernama, Fahmi also presented appointment letters to 19 other individuals, including Datuk Seri Wong Chun Wai, who was reappointed as Bernama Chairman.

All appointments have been made with the consent of His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia.

Present at the event were Deputy Communications Minister Teo Nie Ching, Ministry of Communications secretary-general Datuk Seri Mohamad Fauzi Md Isa, Bernama chief executive officer (CEO) Datin Paduka Nur-ul Afida Kamaludin, editor-in-chief Arul Rajoo Durar Raj, acting deputy editor-in-chief (News Service) Mohd Shukri Ishak, deputy editor-in-chief (Economic News Service) Azlina Aziz and Supervisory Council/Board of Governors secretary Sharifah Zaini Syed Zain.

Following is the full list of members of the Bernama Board of Governors 2025-2027:

1. Chairman: Datuk Seri Wong Chun Wai

2. Members Representing the Government:

i. Nik Kamaruzaman Nik Husin - Deputy Secretary General (Strategic Communication and Creative Industry), Ministry of Communications (permanent member)

ii. Datuk Suhaimi Sulaiman - Director-General of Broadcasting Department (permanent member)

iii. Julina Johan - Director-General of Information Department (JAPEN) (permanent member)

iv. Datuk Seri Amran Mohamed Zin - Secretary-General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (permanent member) 

v. Ummu Aiman Ibrahim - Deputy Undersecretary, Government Procurement Division, Ministry of Finance (permanent member)

vi. Associate Professor Dr Abd Rasid Abd Rahman - Dean of Faculty of Communication & Media Studies, Universiti Teknologi MARA (permanent member)

vii. Zarina Zakaria - Undersecretary of Policy and International Division, Ministry of Communications (alternate member)

viii. Erwin Khairul Ahmad - Deputy Director-General (Digital Content), JAPEN (alternate member)

ix. Booi Chong Leng - Principal Assistant Secretary, Strategic Financial Control and Corporate, Ministry of Finance (alternate member)

x. Zamshari Shaharan - Secretary, Public Diplomacy and Communications Division, Ministry of Foreign Affairs (alternate member)

xi. Associate Professor Dr Moniza Waheed - Faculty of Modern Languages and Communication, Universiti Putra Malaysia (alternate member) 

3. Members Representing Media Organisations:

i. Datin Paduka Esther Ng Sek Yee - Chief Content Officer, Star Media Group Berhad (permanent member)

ii. Chan Aun Kuang - Editor-in-Chief, Sin Chew Daily (permanent member)

iii. Farah Datuk Hussamuddin - CEO, Sinar Harian (permanent member)

iv. Datuk Sardahthisa James - Chief Editor, Daily Express (permanent member)

v. Mohamad Sardon Zainal - Chief Media Officer, Sarawak Media Group Sdn Bhd (permanent member)

vi. Azeem Abu Bakar - Managing Director, Free Malaysia Today Media (permanent member)

vii. Nik Mazwin Nik Anis - Senior News Editor, Star Media Group (alternate member)

viii. Hwn Yaul Len - Executive Editor-in-Chief, Sin Chew Daily (alternate member)

ix. Zamri Rambli - Group Editor-in-Chief, Sinar Harian (alternate member)  

-- BERNAMA