HAWANA 2025: Bernama’s Fact-check Booth Raises Public Awareness On Misinformation

KUALA LUMPUR, June 13 (Bernama) -- An interactive fact-checking exhibition by the Malaysian National News Agency (Bernama) at the HAWANA 2025 Carnival aims to educate the public on how to identify and verify questionable content, particularly on social media.

The initiative is led by MyCheck Malaysia, Bernama’s dedicated fact-checking unit, as part of the annual National Journalists’ Day (HAWANA) celebration which starts today.

Unit head Fatin Najmi Mohammad Shah said the booth introduces Bernama’s verification efforts and promotes critical thinking among media users.

“The goal is to help people quickly spot dubious claims and assess their authenticity before sharing them,” she told Bernama at the event held at Sunway Putra Mall here today.

She added that while platforms like MyCheck Malaysia are useful, individuals should also learn to conduct their own checks.

Visitors to the booth can take part in quizzes, interactive games and watch live sessions by MyCheck Malaysia on Bernama Radio.

A ‘Pocket Talk’ session scheduled for Sunday will highlight the importance of media literacy and fact-checking in today’s digital landscape.

Visitor Nurjannah Najiah, 20, said the exhibition helped her better understand how to assess information credibility and appreciate the work that goes into verifying news.

“We’ve heard of Bernama, but I didn’t know what it actually offers. Today, I learned that it has  a fact-checking unit like MyCheck Malaysia,” said Nurjannah, a Diploma in Corporate Communication student at Universiti Poly-Tech Malaysia (UPTM).

As a second-year student preparing for her internship, she said the experience was especially valuable in helping her understand the realities of the media industry.

“It’s exciting to gain this kind of experience, especially at the early stage of our learning — the exhibition gave us meaningful exposure,” she added.

The three-day HAWANA 2025, themed ‘Journalism in the New Era: Embracing AI, Safeguarding Ethics’, will also feature mini radio booths, contests and a media forum highlighting current trends in the local media scene.

-- BERNAMA