Television station TV3 has successfully retained the championship trophy at the HAWANA-DBP 2026 Pantun Festival, marking the second consecutive year the broadcaster has claimed victory in the annual competition celebrating Malaysia's traditional poetic form. The triumph was particularly notable for its high-profile presentation ceremony, with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim handing over the prizes at the main HAWANA event held at the PICCA Convention Centre @ Butterworth Arena. The occasion also drew the participation of Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow, Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil, and Bernama chairman Datuk Seri Wong Chun Wai, underscoring the significance accorded to the festival as part of the broader National Journalists' Day celebration.

TV3's winning team comprised four skilled performers: Mohammad Nor Affiq Norshamsudin, Mohd Safwan Sawi, Azrin Md Isa, and Mohamed Hirsham Azmi. Their successful defence of last year's inaugural championship demonstrates both the station's commitment to preserving and promoting the cultural art form of pantun, and the consistency of their competitive edge in the festival's format. The victory came with prize money of RM3,000, alongside a trophy and certificates of participation for each team member. The financial reward and formal recognition reflect the professional standing now accorded to pantun performance within Malaysia's media landscape.

Malaysian National News Agency (Bernama) secured the runner-up position, earning RM2,000 in prize money along with their own trophy and certificates. The strong showing by Bernama, Malaysia's oldest news agency, positioned the organisation as a serious contender in what has become a keenly contested media competition. Radio Televisyen Malaysia (RTM) finished third in the overall standings, while print publication Berita Harian claimed fourth place. The competition drew participation from eight media organisations, each fielding teams of performers to compete in what has evolved into one of the more distinctive cultural contests within Malaysia's journalism calendar.

Beyond the team competition, individual honours were also awarded to recognise outstanding contributions to the festival. Muhammad Syukri Khairulannuar, representing Bernama, was named Best Pantun Performer, a distinction that acknowledged superior skill and interpretation in delivering the traditional verse form. The Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (JAKIM) won recognition for Best Attire Award, highlighting the cultural and spiritual dimensions of the event. The allocation of these secondary prizes reflects the festival's comprehensive approach to celebrating not merely competitive excellence but also aesthetic and cultural values embedded in pantun performance.

The competition itself took place on 9 May at Panggung Sari, Kompleks Kraf Kuala Lumpur, serving as one of several preliminary events leading up to the full HAWANA 2026 celebration. A total of 32 individual participants competed across the eight teams, indicating robust engagement from Malaysia's media sector. The choice of venue at the Craft Complex carried symbolic significance, positioning pantun within the broader context of Malaysian cultural heritage and handicrafts, while also emphasising the traditional roots of the poetic form that competitors were interpreting and performing.

TV3 team leader Mohammad Nor Affiq reflected on the pressure and honour of leading his team to consecutive championship victories. He acknowledged that initial anxiety about shouldering team leadership had been dispelled through encouragement from Ahmad Fedtri Yahya, a seasoned TV3 host whose mentorship proved instrumental in building the team's confidence and competitive focus. Affiq's comments underscored how the festival functions not merely as a competition but as a development platform within Malaysia's media organisations, where experienced professionals mentor emerging talent in the practise of pantun composition and delivery.

Affiq expressed gratitude to his teammates, family members, and supporters whose encouragement had sustained the team's efforts throughout preparation and competition. His remarks highlighted the collective nature of competitive pantun performance, where individual virtuosity must be balanced with team cohesion and mutual support. The emphasis on thanking supporters and family members also reflected broader cultural values embedded in Malaysian society, where achievement is understood as rooted in community relationships rather than purely individual accomplishment. This perspective distinguishes pantun competition from many contemporary sporting contests that prioritise individual stardom.

Bernama's runner-up finish, while disappointing in the immediate context, was framed by team leader Muhammad Syukri as a constructive learning experience. Syukri outlined plans for the news agency to conduct comprehensive review of their performance, identifying specific weaknesses while strengthening preparation strategies for the next edition of the festival. This forward-looking approach reflected a professional attitude toward competitive setback, treating the runner-up position as motivation rather than defeat. Bernama's commitment to pursuing the championship in future editions suggests the festival has succeeded in creating genuine competitive engagement rather than a ceremonial event.

The HAWANA-DBP Pantun Festival operates under the overarching theme 'Media Integrity Strengthens Credibility', establishing a direct connection between pantun performance and the broader mission of Malaysia's journalism sector. This thematic framework positions the festival beyond simple cultural nostalgia, instead positioning pantun as a vehicle for reinforcing the ethical and professional values essential to credible journalism. The organisational structure, with the Ministry of Communications overseeing the event and Bernama serving as implementing agency, demonstrates government recognition of how traditional cultural practices can support and exemplify contemporary professional standards.

HAWANA 2026 itself represents the largest annual gathering of media practitioners in Malaysia, serving as the primary occasion for recognising journalistic contributions to nation-building and celebrating professional excellence across the country's diverse media landscape. By incorporating pantun performance as a featured competition within HAWANA, organisers have effectively integrated cultural preservation with professional development, creating a unique platform that celebrates both Malaysia's traditional heritage and its modern media institutions. The prominence accorded to the pantun festival, evidenced by Prime Ministerial presentation of awards, reflects official acknowledgement that maintaining cultural practices constitutes an integral component of national identity building in contemporary Malaysia. For the winning TV3 team and all participating media organisations, the festival thus functions simultaneously as sporting competition, cultural celebration, and professional development opportunity.