TWO FORMER MEDIA PRACTITIONERS IN PAHANG RECEIVE TABUNG KASIH@HAWANA AID

KUANTAN, Feb 4 (Bernama) --  Two former media practitioners in Pahang today received a donation from the Tabung Kasih@HAWANA, an initiative to aid those facing health issues and life hardships.

The donation was presented by Malaysian National News Agency (Bernama) editor-in-chief (assuming duties of chief executive officer) Nur-ul Afida Kamaludin and deputy editor-in-chief (News Service) Arul Rajoo Durar Raj.

Former stringer Khairulmizan Yahya, 40, is currently facing difficulties as his two sons, Fath Ahnaf, four, and Afi Talhah, nine months, are experiencing health problems.

"Our first son has an incomplete urinary tract and needs a doctor's visit once a year, with dermatological check-ups every two months. We were informed that he needs surgery for the urinary tract issue, but it has not been decided yet.

"Our second child was born prematurely and has milk allergies and respiratory problems. Due to this, he requires a special milk priced at RM109 for a 400-gramme tin that lasts less than a week," he said when met at his home in Kampung Sungai Baging here today.

Khairulmizan said Afi Talhah, who received treatment at the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit of Tengku Ampuan Afzan Hospital here for six months after birth, now has multiple monthly hospital appointments.

Having served in Sinar Harian, Harian Metro and Kosmo from 2006 to 2022, Khairulmizan, currently self-employed, expressed gratitude for the contribution and the milk aid from zakat authorities, which he described as alleviating his financial burden.

Meanwhile, another recipient Lee Meng Fui, 47, a former journalist from Sin Chew Daily, received the contribution to help ease his financial strain, as he has been unemployed since 2020 due to kidney problems and undergoes Continuous Ambulatory Dialysis (CAPD).

"The CAPD treatment began in March 2021 and is done at home four times a day starting at 7 am, with each session lasting up to 30 minutes. Some equipment needs to be replaced every six months to avoid infection risk," he said when met at his home in Perumahan Tiram Aman here.

Lee, who has 18 years of experience in the media field and now works as a freelance writer, said he was hospitalised twice last year due to infections.

Khairulmizan and Lee are among 35 media friends who have benefitted from the Tabung Kasih@HAWANA fund created in conjunction with the National Journalists' Day (HAWANA) 2023.

It is an initiative of the Communications Ministry and implemented through Bernama to support media practitioners, former media personnel and veteran journalists who are in dire need of help.

-- BERNAMA