NPC's Journalist Welfare Fund gets corporate backing

Some 25 corporate bodies, including an e-commerce-based conglomerate, have extended their support to the National Press Club's effort to raise funds for the Journalist Welfare Fund (JWF), aimed at helping journalists and their family members in need.

Organising chairperson Mokhtar Hussain said NPC worked over the past few months to raise more than RM100,000 from private sector companies, as well as state agencies and individuals, which culminated in a charity dinner last night that featured a special performance by rock artist Nash and guitarist Man Kidal.

“Our funds since our last charity dinner in 2013 have shrunk, so we decided to have another fundraising event to help with the journalists’ cause,” he said in his speech at the gala dinner, which was attended by about 400 guests, including NPC president Ahirudin Attan and Bernama CEO Puan Nurini Kassim.

Besides the QI Group of companies as the platinum sponsor, Mokhtar expresed his gratitude to Forest City, Sunway Group Bhd, UEM Group Bhd, Informa UBM Malaysia, Tenaga Nasional Bhd, Ambank Group, F&N Beverages Marketing Sdn Bhd, BIMB Holdings Bhd, Bank Rakyat, Public Bank, Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd, Sime Darby Plantations, Pos Malaysia Bhd, Bank Simpanan Nasional, Hong Leong Bank Bhd, Naza Corporation Holdings Sdn Bhd, OSK Holdings Bhd, Constance Westwood Consultancy, Heineken Malaysia Bhd, Parkson Corporation Sdn Bhd, RHB Bank Bhd, Sirim Bhd, Nikon Malaysia and AirAsia.

Mokhtar, who is also Bernama deputy editor-in-chief (domestic news), said the idea to set up the fund was triggered by the death of Bernama TV cameraman Noramfaizul Mohd Nor, who was killed by a stray bullet in Mogadishu, on Sept 2, 2011. He was 39.

He said the donations from the fund were not only given to NPC members, but to all journalists and their family members who are in need.

Since JWF's inception, more than 100 professional journalists have benefited from the fund.

- Bernama