Star Media Group wins six Kinabalu Press Awards
KOTA KINABALU: Star Media Group Bhd's Sabah bureau bagged a total of six awards with two golds and four merits in this year's prestigious Kinabalu Press Awards.
Journalist Stephanie Lee Shao Fen bagged a gold for the Sports Journalism Award with her story 'Giddy up for Polo' while she received three merits for two entries sent in for the Journalism Award (Feature and News Feature) and news reporting (non-feature) categories.
One of the merit awards was a team effort with stringer Sandra Vivian Sokial, with their entry titled 'Sabah government to investigate demolition of Palau- community houses in Semporna amid controversy'.
Sokial, a seasoned journalist who had been away from the media sector for eight years before rejoining the industry last year, bagged gold in the Entertainment, Culture and Arts reporting category.
Her article 'Bringing the tale of Huminodun to the world' earned her RM1,500 in cash.
She also received a merit in the business and economic reporting category.
Apart from these awards, retired veteran journalist Chan Kang Yuan, 90, received the Golden Service Award.
Chan, who started as a copywriter for a local Chinese daily, spent his adult life as a journalist covering stories from the time of the British colonial rule of North Borneo to the formation of Malaysia and beyond during his six decades in the profession.
His last position was as editor for another local newspaper before retiring in 2021.
During the event's opening ceremony, Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor urged media practitioners to work with the state government in disseminating policy information, clarifying fake news and providing ground information to state agencies.
He said both the media and state government must continue to have a strategic partnership so that information can be shared for the betterment of the people.
His speech was delivered by Sabah Tourism, Culture and Environment Assistant Minister Datuk Joniston Bangkuai, who is the trustee of the Sabah Journalist Association (SJA).
SJA president Mariah Doksil reminded veteran and new reporters to co-exist with artificial intelligence (AI) but never let it take over a writer's creative juices.
She also called upon all to work together as a team in the mission to spread verified and dependable information, benefiting readers, policymakers and news writers.
Also present was Malaysian Press Institute president Datuk Yong Soo Heong.
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