‘Jalan Bernama’ mooted
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian National News Agency (Bernama) chairman Datuk Seri Azman Ujang has suggested the road leading to the agency’s headquarters be renamed “Jalan Bernama”.
He expressed hope the suggestion would be received by the Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) considering Wisma Bernama had become a landmark at a stretch off Jalan Tun Razak for a long time.
Azman said Wisma Bernama was the first building erected in the area and occupied in 1984, long before other buildings nearby such as the National Library, National Visual Arts Gallery, National Blood Centre and Istana Budaya.
“We will make a formal application to DBKL. If it is approved, it will be the most meaningful and a priceless gift to the entire Bernama family of the past and present, and it will be remembered forever,” he said in his speech at the agency’s Golden Jubilee dinner at Dewan Perdana Felda yesterday.
Bernama was established under the Parliament Act on April 6, 1967, and was officially launched on Aug 30 that year in conjunction with Malaysia’s 10th Independence celebration.
The agency became fully operational on May 20, 1968, with the distribution of the first news on the launch of Bernama news service by the then Information and Broadcasting minister Tan Sri Senu Abdul Rahman.
Azman said over the past half century, the news organisation had never stopped producing accurate and timely news reports to all the people in the country.
He took the opportunity to express his appreciation to all Bernama staff for their services and contributions.
The agency also recorded appreciation to three former ministers of Information for their contributions to the media and communications industry. Special awards were accorded to Special Advisor to the Malaysian Government on Socio-Cultural Matters, Tan Sri Dr Rais Yatim, eminent journalist Tan Sri Zainuddin Maidin and former Umno secretary-general, the late Tan Sri Mohamed Rahmat.
The event was attended by some 300 former and present staff as well as the agency’s loyal clients.
In ALOR GAJAH, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said Bernama had successfully changed its approach according to the demands of society today.
He said the agency’s module should be emulated by all government agencies to ensure information that needed to be disseminated would reach a larger segment.
“Bernama’s website has 2.5 million to 2.8 million (hits), and has become an organisation which is accepted not just in this region, but also throughout the world. That’s the advantage of having been around for the past 50 years,” he said at the launch of the National Convention of the Special Affairs Department, which was also attended by Malacca Chief Minister Datuk Seri Idris Haron and Jasa Director-General Datuk Dr Mohd Puad Zarkashi. – Bernama