Bernama chairman appointment an honour for women, persons with disabilities - Ras Adiba

PUTRAJAYA, Nov 24 -- Senator Ras Adiba Mohd Radzi said her appointment as the chairman of the Malaysian National News Agency (Bernama) is an honour not only for women but also persons with disabilities.

The veteran TV personality is the first woman and a person with disability to be appointed to the post in the 53-year history of the news organisation.

Communications and Multimedia Minister Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah today announced Ras Adiba’s appointment as the new chairman of the Bernama Board of Governors. She succeeds Suhaimi Sulaiman who resigned on Aug 6.

Ras Adiba, 52, in sharing her aspiration for Bernama, said the news organisation cannot focus solely on news and current affairs but must attempt to bring to the fore, through good storytelling, what the people have at heart.

“I know Bernama can do that because Bernama has an experienced team. It’s just a matter of working around their ideas and making sure we can push this forward. Ultimately, we must always do things for the people, with the people, so we can empower the people,” she said.

Ras Adiba also said that she would want the services of Bernama Radio and Bernama TV, the radio station and television channel operated by Bernama, to be accessible to persons with disabilities.

“I feel very excited because I have been monitoring Bernama’s programmes over the years and, of late, I’ve been observing the content and presentation. I’m looking forward to meeting them (the editorial employees),” she said.

Ras Adiba was sworn in as a senator on May 20 this year and is the representative in the senate for persons with disabilities.

She is also the president of OKU Sentral, the non-governmental organisation championing the rights of persons with disabilities.

She has been wheelchair-bound following a spinal injury sustained during a road crash in Petaling Jaya on Nov 11, 1995. 

-- BERNAMA