Television station TV3 has successfully retained the championship title at the HAWANA-DBP 2026 Pantun Festival, underscoring the broadcaster's continuing dominance in Malaysia's traditional poetry competition scene. The victory was sealed during festivities marking the National Journalists' Day (HAWANA) 2026 celebrations, held at the PICCA Convention Centre @ Butterworth Arena in Penang on June 20. The Malaysian National News Agency (Bernama) took the runner-up position, while the Radio Televisyen Malaysia (RTM) team secured third place in a competition that drew eight participating organisations from across Malaysia's media landscape.

TV3's championship squad comprised Mohammad Nor Affiq Norshamsudin, Mohd Safwan Sawi, Azrin Md Isa, and Mohamed Hirsham Azmi—a cohesive unit that demonstrated superior command of the classical art form. This represents the broadcaster's second consecutive triumph in the festival, a feat that carries particular significance given the intensifying competition among Malaysia's major media institutions. The team's ability to successfully mount a title defence speaks to both consistent preparation and deep understanding of pantun's nuanced rhythmic and thematic demands, qualities increasingly prized in Malaysia's media fraternity.

The occasion achieved substantial national prominence when Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim personally presented the prizes to winning teams and individual honourees. This high-level participation reflects the government's commitment to recognising journalistic excellence and cultural preservation through traditional literary forms. The gathering also included Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow, Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil, and Bernama chairman Datuk Seri Wong Chun Wai, underscoring how pantun festivals have evolved from niche cultural events into significant occasions for media sector recognition and networking.

As champions, TV3 walked away with RM3,000 in prize money, alongside a trophy and certificates acknowledging their participants' achievement. Bernama, finishing in runner-up position, received RM2,000 in cash plus a trophy and certificates of participation. These tangible rewards serve to incentivise media organisations to invest in cultural literacy among their personnel, particularly in an era when traditional Malaysian artistic forms face competition from digital entertainment formats.

Beyond the team competition, individual excellence was also recognised. Muhammad Syukri Khairulannuar, competing for Bernama, earned the distinction of Best Pantun Performer—a notable achievement that elevated his agency's overall standing despite not securing the team trophy. Meanwhile, the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (JAKIM) team garnered the Best Attire Award, demonstrating that the festival values not merely linguistic prowess but also cultural presentation and respect for traditional aesthetics associated with pantun performance.

The festival itself took place earlier in May at Panggung Sari, Kompleks Kraf Kuala Lumpur, serving as one of the inaugural curtain-raiser events for the broader HAWANA 2026 celebrations. The competition drew a total of 32 individual participants across the eight competing teams, reflecting substantial engagement from Malaysia's broadcast and news media sectors. Berita Harian rounded out the top four finishers, completing a rankings that featured predominantly major Malaysian news organisations—a configuration highlighting how pantun proficiency has become embedded within professional journalism culture.

TV3 team leader Mohammad Nor Affiq provided insight into the squad's preparation and mindset during their championship campaign. He acknowledged that accepting leadership responsibility initially weighed heavily, yet drew inspiration and motivation from TV3 host Ahmad Fedtri Yahya, whose mentorship proved instrumental in steadying his resolve. This mentor-protégé dynamic reflects broader professional development patterns within Malaysian media organisations, where experienced practitioners actively cultivate emerging talent in culturally significant domains.

Nor Affiq's post-victory remarks centred on gratitude, crediting his teammates, family members, and supporters whose encouragement sustained the group through rigorous preparation and competition. His invocation of "Alhamdulillah"—an Arabic expression of thankfulness—subtly reinforced how pantun practice intersects with Malaysia's Islamic cultural heritage, a dimension that extends beyond mere linguistic exercise into spiritual and social dimensions. His emphasis on team cohesion rather than individual brilliance suggested the championship resulted from collective discipline and shared commitment to excellence.

Bernama's team leader Muhammad Syukri adopted a forward-looking perspective despite his squad's runner-up finish, framing the outcome as motivational fuel for future competition. He committed to systematic review of performance weaknesses, promising rigorous preparation targeting next year's edition. This constructive response reflects the professional maturity within Malaysia's news sector, where competitive rivalry coexists with mutual respect and commitment to continuous improvement in both journalistic standards and cultural literacy.

The HAWANA 2026 festival operated under the thematic banner "Media Integrity Strengthens Credibility," positioning pantun competition within a broader national conversation about journalistic ethics and public trust. This framing demonstrates how Malaysia's communications sector leverages traditional cultural forms to reinforce contemporary professional values. The Ministry of Communications, in collaboration with Bernama, orchestrated the broader HAWANA celebrations as the culminating gathering of Malaysia's media practitioners, creating spaces where journalists encounter both peer recognition and cultural engagement.

Malaysia's pantun tradition has long served as repository of moral wisdom, philosophical reflection, and linguistic sophistication. Contemporary institutional adoption of pantun festivals by major media organisations represents cultural continuity adapted to modern professional contexts. When television stations, news agencies, and broadcast corporations invest resources in pantun competition, they effectively signal that classical Malaysian literary forms remain relevant within professional journalism environments—a counterweight to globalisation's homogenising cultural pressures. For Malaysian and Southeast Asian readers, TV3's sustained excellence in pantun performance illustrates how traditional knowledge systems continue vibrating within contemporary institutional frameworks, resisting relegation to heritage museum status while contributing to journalists' professional formation and national cultural consciousness.