Kuala Lumpur, 23rd June 2004 – The Malaysian AIDS Council (MAC), together with principal sponsor DaimlerChrysler Malaysia (the wholesale distributor of Mercedes-Benz vehicles in Malaysia) held a press conference today to announce the call for entries for their biennial Red Ribbon Media Awards (RRMA).
The Red Ribbon Media Awards, representative of journalistic and creative excellence, was first introduced in 1996 as part of efforts to acknowledge, recognize and honor the vital role played by Malaysian media practitioners who have contributed significantly towards educating the public about HIV/AIDS. Past winners have included Jelita Magazine, Berita Harian Sdn Bhd (for the print category), DramaLab (for the performing arts category) and TV2 (for the broadcast media TV category), to name a few.
Winners for the various categories for this year – the DaimlerChrysler Red Ribbon Media Awards 2004 - will receive a certificate of excellence from MAC, specially designed trophies and cash prizes of RM2,500 each. DaimlerChrysler Malaysia has also dedicated their involvement as the principal sponsor for the Red Ribbon Media Awards for the year 2006 & 2008. YBhg. Datin Paduka Marina Mahathir, President of MAC received a contribution amounting to RM250,000 from Mr Frank Steinleitner, President & CEO of DaimlerChrysler Malaysia Sdn Bhd during the press conference .
According to Datin Paduka Marina Mahathir, the Red Ribbon Media Awards is a simple way of saying “Thank you” to news agencies as well as various individuals who have provided invaluable help in getting the message of HIV/AIDS prevention across.
“We hope that by recognizing their efforts, we can encourage more people to step forward and further our cause”, she said. “The media plays a pivotal role in pushing the HIV/AIDS message across the board, and taking the issue further than just merely reporting on statistics and raw data. We have always recognized the need to work closely with the media, and hence the background of the RRMA”, she added.
Mr Frank Steinleitner, President & CEO of DaimlerChrysler Malaysia said, “The company is glad to be given the opportunity to participate as the principal sponsor of the Red Ribbon Media Awards this year and also for the year 2006 & 2008, to demonstrate our moral duty and commitment in contributing back to society. Eventhough the infection rate in Malaysia is not as high as some countries such as South Africa, Thailand, etc, we are concerned about the rising rate and have been convinced by the Malaysian AIDS Council that action is needed, especially in the areas of awareness, health education and prevention programs. In view of the vulnerability of AIDS patients and the lack of support, I hope the passion that we have in preventing the spread of HIV/AIDS in Malaysia will help to improve current conditions.
“Media practitioners, together with politicians, athletes and business leaders share a common advantage. They are generally looked upon by society as role models and their spoken and written word have the power to effect social change. Therefore, it is against this backdrop that we are collaborating with the Malaysian AIDS Council to recognize the exemplary work done by members of our local media in educating the public on the latest and important information on HIV/AIDS,” said Mr Steinleitner.
This year, the categories for the RRMA have been streamlined into three categories; print media, broadcast media and non-traditional media that have been published, broadcasted or performed between 1st June 2000 to 1st May 2004. Details are as follows:
a) Print Media
The DaimlerChrysler Red Ribbon Media Awards 2004 will be presented on the 18th of September 2004 at the Mandarin Oriental Kuala Lumpur, in conjunction with the Red Ribbon Gala 2004, a premier charity event of the Malaysian AIDS Foundation.
