Hari Pertama Saya di Bilik Berita Bernama | My First Day in the Bernama Newsroom

 Pembaptisan Api Seorang Wartawan Muda

Pada 19 Ogos 1971, saya melangkah masuk buat pertama kali ke bilik berita Bernama di Wisma Belia. Itulah permulaan perjalanan saya dalam dunia kewartawanan — satu dunia yang akhirnya menjadi sebahagian besar kehidupan saya.

Bilik berita itu luas tetapi kelihatan agak kosong. Hanya terdapat dua orang lelaki di dua hujung bilik. Seorang yang agak berisi sedang membaca surat khabar dengan secawan minuman panas berwap di sebelahnya. Beliau kelihatan begitu tenang dan santai. Seorang lagi pula sibuk memotong keratan akhbar menggunakan gunting.

Kemudian saya diberitahu bahawa lelaki yang sedang menikmati minuman itu ialah Ketua Sub Editor, manakala seorang lagi ialah Editor Berita.

Dengan perlahan saya menghampiri editor berita itu, memberi salam dan memperkenalkan diri serta tujuan saya datang. Namun beliau tidak mengangkat muka. Beliau hanya menganggukkan kepala botaknya. Saya pula tidak tahu bagaimana hendak meneruskan perbualan itu lalu saya duduk di sebuah meja kosong yang dipenuhi surat khabar.

Ketika waktu makan tengah hari, para wartawan mula masuk beramai-ramai ke dalam bilik berita. Ada yang memegang buku nota dan ada yang membawa mesin taip. Agaknya mereka baru pulang daripada membuat liputan berita dan mahu menulis laporan masing-masing.

Semakin petang, bilik berita menjadi semakin sesak dan berasap dengan asap rokok para wartawan. Pada hari itu juga saya ditugaskan mengikuti seorang wartawan muda untuk membuat liputan di sebuah balai polis. Kami menghadiri sidang media jenayah. Itu merupakan kali pertama saya menjejakkan kaki ke balai polis. Semuanya terasa begitu asing tetapi menarik.

Selepas sidang media tamat, kami kembali ke pejabat. Wartawan yang menjadi mentor saya meminta saya menulis berita sendiri berdasarkan sidang media tadi.

Masalahnya, saya langsung tidak tahu bagaimana hendak menulis berita.

Pada masa itu saya menyangka “story” atau cerita bermaksud seperti cerita yang dibacakan ibu kepada anak sebelum tidur. Berita itu sebenarnya mengenai seorang budak lelaki yang maut dalam kemalangan jalan raya. Tetapi untuk menjadikannya “menarik”, saya mereka pelbagai jalan cerita yang langsung tidak disebut oleh pegawai polis tadi dan akhirnya menutup laporan itu dengan ayat budak tersebut meninggal dunia.

Saya begitu bangga dengan hasil tulisan itu.

Namun apabila saya menyerahkan laporan tersebut kepada editor berita yang botak tadi, beliau hanya tersenyum kecil lalu berkata:

“Balik rumah.”

Saya terkejut.

“Ya, saya kata balik rumah dan datang semula esok!”

Saya berdiri terpinga-pinga dan ketakutan. Namun akhirnya saya pulang juga.

Keesokan harinya saya datang awal ke pejabat dan mendapati para editor sudah sibuk memotong keratan akhbar. Kemudian saya memahami bahawa keratan-keratan itu digunakan oleh wartawan untuk membuat berita susulan.

Editor berita itu memanggil saya lalu menasihati saya dengan nada yang sangat kebapaan. Beliau berkata, itulah bukan cara menulis berita. Beliau menyuruh saya pergi ke perpustakaan dan membaca, membaca, dan terus membaca.

Hari itu benar-benar sukar bagi saya. Saya anggap ia sebagai “baptism of fire” — pembaptisan api bagi seorang wartawan muda.

Saya hampir berputus asa, tetapi syukur saya tidak menyerah kalah. Sedikit demi sedikit saya mula memahami rentak kerja bilik berita. Dengan latihan dan tunjuk ajar yang betul, saya mula menghasilkan berita-berita eksklusif yang akhirnya mendapat byline atau nama penulis sendiri di akhbar.

Perasaan melihat nama sendiri dicetak di akhbar buat pertama kali memang sukar digambarkan. Ia sangat mengujakan.

Nasihat saya kepada wartawan muda ialah kewartawanan merupakan profesion yang sangat menarik dan menyeronokkan, tetapi anda mesti sabar dan benar-benar menikmati kerja itu.

Anda perlu berani bertemu dan bercakap dengan semua jenis manusia. Anda mesti sentiasa ingin tahu, mengikuti perkembangan semasa, menghormati sumber berita, dan menjaga hubungan baik dengan mereka.

Pada zaman kami tiada telefon bimbit. Semuanya menggunakan telefon talian tetap. Ia memang mencabar tetapi kami tetap mampu menjalankan tugas.

Ketepatan fakta sangat penting dalam pemberitaan. Kelajuan menghantar berita juga amat penting. Lagi cepat berita dihantar, lagi baik penerimaannya.

Namun di atas segala-galanya, seorang wartawan mesti memiliki kesabaran dan ketahanan diri. Jangan mudah kecewa jika dimarahi atau dihalau ketika menjalankan tugas.

Jika anda mampu bertahan lama dalam profesion ini, anda pasti akan menikmati keindahan dunia kewartawanan sebagaimana yang saya alami selama ini.

A Baptism of Fire for a Young Reporter

On August 19, 1971, I stepped into the newsroom of Bernama at Wisma Belia for the very first time. It marked the beginning of my journey into journalism — a profession that would eventually become a major part of my life.

The newsroom was spacious but strangely quiet and empty. Only two gentlemen occupied the room, each seated at opposite ends. One plump man was calmly reading a newspaper with a steaming hot drink beside him. He looked relaxed and completely at ease. The other man was busy cutting newspaper clippings with a pair of scissors.

Later, I learned that the man enjoying the drink was the Chief Sub-Editor, while the other was the News Editor.

Slowly and nervously, I approached the News Editor, greeted him, introduced myself, and explained why I was there. He did not even look up. He merely nodded his bald head.

Not knowing how to continue the conversation, I quietly moved away and sat at an empty table covered with newspapers.

Around lunchtime, reporters began streaming into the newsroom carrying notebooks in one hand and typewriters in the other. Presumably, they had returned from assignments and were preparing to file their stories.

As the day progressed, the newsroom became stuffy with cigarette smoke as reporters worked furiously around the room.

That same day, I was assigned to accompany a young reporter on a police assignment. We attended a crime press conference at a police station. I had never entered a police station before, so the entire experience felt both intimidating and fascinating.

After returning to the office, my mentor asked me to write my own story based on the press conference.

The problem was that I had absolutely no idea how to write a news report.

At that time, I honestly thought a “story” meant the kind of story a mother reads to a child before bedtime. The news was actually about a young boy who had died in an accident. But in an attempt to make it “interesting,” I invented details far beyond what the police officer had said and dramatically ended the piece with the boy’s death.

I thought I had done a fantastic job.

When I proudly handed the report to the bald News Editor, he simply smiled and said:

“Go home.”

I was shocked.

“Yes, I said go home and come back tomorrow!”

I stood there frightened and confused, unsure what to do. Nevertheless, I went home.

The next morning, I arrived early and found the editors already busy cutting newspaper clippings. Later, I learned that these clippings were used by reporters to develop follow-up stories.

The News Editor then called me over and spoke to me in a very fatherly manner. He explained that what I had written was not journalism. He advised me to go to the library and read, read, and read.

That was an extremely difficult day for me. I would describe it as my baptism of fire.

I could easily have quit, but thankfully I did not. Gradually, I adapted to the pace of newsroom life. With proper guidance and training, I eventually began producing exclusive stories that earned me my own byline in print.

Seeing my name published for the first time was absolutely thrilling.

My advice to young reporters is this: journalism is a highly rewarding and exciting profession, but you must be patient and genuinely love the work.

You must be willing to meet and talk to all kinds of people. Stay curious, keep yourself updated with current affairs, respect your news sources, and maintain good relationships with them.

Back in those days, we had no mobile phones — only landlines. It was challenging, but we managed.

Accuracy is essential in journalism. Speed is equally important. The faster you transmit your story, the better its impact and reception.

Above all, patience and resilience are the greatest qualities a reporter can possess. Do not lose heart if people scold you or chase you away while doing your job.

If you stay long enough in the profession, you will eventually discover the beauty and  fulfillment of Journalism—as I did