SHAH ALAM — Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil today greeted and presented a donation through the Kasih@HAWANA Fund to National Journalist Adibah Amin at her residence, here.
Fahmi said the donation was presented as a token of appreciation to Adibah, 90, who is the 671st recipient of the Kasih@HAWANA Fund to date.
Also presented was a donation by the Prime Minister’s Department Implementation Coordination Unit (ICU JPM) on behalf of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
“Today we came to see for ourselves how he is doing, as he is not in good health. He is now 90 years old and lives with his younger brother. But no matter what, we pray that he will continue to be healthy,” he told reporters here today.
Also present were the Senior Press Secretary to the Prime Minister Tunku Nashrul Abaidah, Bernama Chief Executive Officer Datin Paduka Nur-ul Afida Kamaludin, Director-General of Radio Televisyen Malaysia (RTM) Ashwad Ismail and Deputy Director of the Selangor JPM ICU Najmuddin Jemain.
Adibah is currently in a frail condition due to age and requires full-time care. She also suffers from diabetes and after suffering a stroke in 2008, is now bedridden and can no longer walk.
Adibah, who is also synonymous with the character of Cikgu Bedah in the comedy film Adik Manja, is a figure who is no stranger to the world of journalism and literature in the country.
Commenting further, Fahmi said Adibah had served as an editor at The Star and New Straits Times newspapers, besides making history as the first woman to hold the position of News Editor at Berita Harian.
In June 2024, she was crowned the National Journalist of 2023 at the Malaysian Journalists’ Night in conjunction with the MPI-Petronas Malaysian Journalist Awards 2023.
In this regard, Fahmi said the younger generation of journalists should emulate Adibah’s struggle in strengthening the journalism profession in this country.
“My hope for the new generation of journalists is that they can follow and understand not only the struggle of the journalists who came before them, but also understand the reality that they are not just reporting, but also forming an independent and sovereign nation and improving the quality of journalism and the level of ethics,” he said.
Meanwhile, Adibah’s sister, Khalilah Fadzilah Amin, 87, also expressed gratitude for the concern given to her elderly sister.
“I would like to express my gratitude to everyone who helped my sister. I appreciate their willingness to come visit her and care about her condition,” she said.
At the same time, she said a book about Adibah’s life journey, especially in her career, will be launched on April 12 at an event to commemorate the journalist.
— BERNAMA
