JAKARTA - The Indonesian Journalists Association (PWI) gave the Press Card Number One (PCNO) Award to a number of senior journalists as well as the Golden Pen Award to a national figure who is considered to have played an important role in the development of the press world in Indonesia.

The Press Card Number One and Golden Pen awards will be given by the general chairman of central PWI on 2021 National Press Day (HPN) celebration at Candi Bentar Putri Duyung Ancol, North Jakarta, Tuesday (09/02/2021).

The assessment of the PCNO award or the Number One Press Card itself is only given to senior journalists aged 50 years and over, who have devoted themselves to journalism for more than 30 years, and are deemed worthy of receiving it.

Secretary-General of PWI, Mirza Zulhadi, said that the selection of journalists for PCNO recipients was carried out by a team of judges formed by PWI and then decided in a plenary meeting on central PWI.

"Recipients of the PCNO Award are delivered through a letter signed by the Head of PWI who is also the Person in Charge for HPN 2021, Atal S Depari and Auri Jaya, as the Chair of the HPN 2021 Executive Committee," said Zulhadi.

Of the names of the recipients of the Press Card Number One award at HPN 2021, three of them are from Riau, namely, Dheni Kurnia, Raja Isyam Uswar and Zufra Irwan.

Other recipients were Muhammad Baedarus and Syahdanur Abdul Manaf from PWI West Java, Octo Lampito from PWI Yogyakarta, Mursyid Songsang PWI Jambi, Dhimam Abror Djuraid, PWI East Java and Khairul Muslim from PWI North Sumatra.

General Chairman of PWI Atal S. Depari said that the giving of this press card is a form of appreciation from PWI to press people in Indonesia.

"This award is dedicated to those who continue to strive to serve for the advancement of the press world," said Atal.

The PCNO Award itself has been given since HPN X 2010 in Palembang, South Sumatra. Number 1 figures are Rosihan Anwar, Jacob Oetama, Herawati Dyah, Dahlan Iskan, Gunawan Muhammad, Fikri Jufri, Karni Ilyas, Alwi Hamu.

Meanwhile, the Golden Pen Award from PWI will be given to the Governor of South Kalimantan, Sahbirin Noor.

The man who is also known as Uncle Birin was to be given this award through the PWI Forum which consists of members of the PWI Honorary Council, led by the Chairperson of the Central PWI Atal S Depari.

Atal announced that Uncle Birin was awarded the Golden Pen Award, after going through a special session of the PWI Pusat Honorary Council and listening to the speech concerned virtually.

Atal stated that the Governor of South Kalimantan received the Gold Pen Award with a very satisfying value after listening to his presentation regarding efforts to build synergy with the press in order to support development in South Kalimantan.

"This assessment was also given after seeing the dedication and efforts he made in developing the press to support sustainable development in South Kalimantan," said Atal who is also in charge of HPN 2021.

This Gold Pen Award is the highest award given by the Indonesian journalists' association (PWI) for anyone who is considered to have extraordinary services in developing the National press in Indonesia. ***/ye