A total of 18 individuals received the Special Award for Loyal Service, including Bernama Chairman Datuk Seri Azman Ujang, General Manager Datuk Zulkefli Salleh and Editor-in-Chief Datuk Zakaria Abdul Wahab.
Eighteen media organisations received the Special Award for Loyal Client (Media), namely Nanyang Siang Pau, China Press, The New Straits Times, Berita Harian, Syarikat Berita Harian Merdeka, Utusan Melayu, Sabah Publishing, The Star, RTM, The Malay Mail, Asia Times, Sin Chew, Kwong Wah Yit Poh, See Hua Daily News, Borneo Post, Eden Value, Tribune Press and MediaCorp Singapore.
Bernama also gave a Special Award for Loyal Client (Non-media) to 18 recipients, namely the Embassy of Japan; AmBank; the Foreign Ministry; the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission; Ministry of Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism; Indah Water Konsortium Sdn Bh; Ministry of Health; Takaful Ikhlas; Bank Kerjasama Rakyat; Muslim Consumers Association of Malaysia (PPIM); iProperty.com; Pos Malaysia Berhad; FELDA, Malaysia Inbound Tourism Association; Malaysian Timber Industry Board; IJN Foundation; Selangor Malay Customs and Heritage Corporation; and the Bank Rakyat Foundation.
Among other special awards given during the night were for the Special Award for Bernama Logo Designer, ‘Jasamu Dikenang´ and Specific Contribution.
PPIM chief activitist Datuk Nadzim Johan said Bernama was a platform for the association to express its opinion in a transparent manner in the interest of the country’s consumers.
Meanwhile, Loyal Service Award recipient Salbiah Said, 64, who has served in the news agency since 1979, said Bernama had given her valuable experience of being a journalist.
A graduate of Mass Communication from UiTM Shah Alam, she held various positions including as a correspondent for three years in Singapore, an editor in the English Sub-Editors Desk (2004) and as president of the Bernama Wives and Women Staff Association (BENITA).
Salbiah, who also served as deputy editor in the Economic Service Desk retired in 2011, and is now continuing her career in Bernama as Assistant Editor in the Portal and E-Commerce unit.
— BERNAMA