Television station TV3 has clinched the championship crown at the HAWANA-DBP 2026 Pantun Festival, demonstrating the broadcasting network's continued dominance in the traditional Malay art form competition held alongside Malaysia's National Journalists' Day festivities. The tournament saw eight teams from major Malaysian media organisations competing intensely, with Bernama finishing as runner-up and claiming the second-place honours.

TV3's victorious ensemble comprised Mohammad Nor Affiq Norshamsudin, Mohd Safwan Sawi, Azrin Md Isa, and Mohamed Hirsham Azmi, marking the broadcaster's second consecutive triumph in the festival following its inaugural win in the previous year's edition. The team's consistency in defending the title reflects both rigorous preparation and deep engagement with the classical art of pantun composition and delivery, which remains culturally significant in Malaysian media circles despite contemporary entertainment shifts.

The championship presentation ceremony carried considerable prestige, with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim personally handing over the prizes during the main HAWANA 2026 event at the PICCA Convention Centre @ Butterworth Arena in Penang. The high-profile attendance of Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow, Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil, and Bernama chairman Datuk Seri Wong Chun Wai underscored the festival's importance as a flagship cultural event within Malaysia's media calendar. Such governmental participation highlights the establishment's commitment to preserving traditional literary forms alongside modern journalism practices.

TV3's victory delivered tangible rewards encompassing RM3,000 in prize money, a trophy, and participation certificates. Bernama's runner-up position secured RM2,000 in cash prizes alongside recognition trophies, while Radio Televisyen Malaysia (RTM) completed the podium positions in third place. Berita Harian rounded out the top four, signalling that Malaysia's major broadcast and print media organisations maintain competitive excellence in cultural competitions that blend artistry with professional identity.

Beyond the team championship, individual accolades recognised outstanding performers within the broader field. Muhammad Syukri Khairulannuar from Bernama captured the Best Pantun Performer award, acknowledging excellence in the delivery and artistic rendering of traditional verse forms. Separately, the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (JAKIM) team earned distinction through the Best Attire Award, reflecting the festival's emphasis on comprehensive cultural presentation encompassing costume, composition, and performance cohesion.

The pantun competition itself drew participation from thirty-two individuals across the competing teams, indicating substantial interest among Malaysian media professionals in maintaining cultural competency alongside journalism skills. Held at Panggung Sari within the Kompleks Kraf Kuala Lumpur on May 9, the event functioned as a preliminary celebration preceding the broader HAWANA 2026 commemorations. This positioning of the pantun festival as a curtain-raiser event demonstrates intentional sequencing to build momentum and cultural engagement leading toward the National Journalists' Day main programme.

Mohammad Nor Affiq, whose leadership guided TV3 to championship success, reflected candidly on the emotional dimensions of defending a title. He acknowledged initial trepidation regarding the responsibilities inherent in leading a team toward repeated excellence, particularly in preserving a trophy won in the inaugural edition. However, mentorship from Ahmad Fedtri Yahya, a prominent television personality at TV3, provided crucial encouragement that enabled him to embrace the challenge with renewed confidence and strategic focus.

Commenting on his team's achievement, Nor Affiq expressed gratitude extending beyond his immediate teammates to encompass family members and broader support networks whose encouragement sustained motivation throughout preparation phases. His statement emphasised the collective effort required for competitive success in cultural competitions, where individual brilliance must harmonise with ensemble cohesion. The acknowledgement of diverse support systems reflects the reality that sustained championship performance in Malaysian media circles often depends upon institutional backing, mentorship relationships, and personal networks functioning in integrated fashion.

Meanwhile, Bernama's team leader Muhammad Syukri framed the runner-up finish not as disappointment but as strategic motivation for future campaigns. Rather than defensiveness, his response demonstrated competitive professionalism characteristic of established Malaysian media organisations. He committed to systematic analysis of performance gaps and technical refinements necessary to transform second-place finishes into championship victories in subsequent editions, suggesting that Bernama's substantial organisational resources and talent pool position the news agency as a formidable challenger.

The HAWANA-DBP 2026 festival derives its organisational structure from partnership between the Ministry of Communications and Bernama serving as implementing agency. The selected thematic framework of "Media Integrity Strengthens Credibility" connects cultural competition directly to professional journalism standards, signalling that pantun performance forms part of broader conversations about ethical media practice and public trust. This integration of traditional literary forms with contemporary media accountability reflects Malaysian media institutions' recognition that cultural credibility and professional credibility remain interconnected concepts.

Within Malaysia's Southeast Asian media context, the preservation of traditional artistic forms alongside technological modernisation differentiates Malaysian journalism culture from purely commercially-driven competitors. The HAWANA event positions itself as the region's largest gathering of media practitioners and serves ostensibly to recognise journalist contributions toward national development. For Malaysian readers and Southeast Asian observers, such competitions demonstrate how traditional cultural forms retain institutional relevance even amid digital transformation and global media convergence pressures that might otherwise marginalise localised artistic traditions.