Latest news with #MPI-PETRONASMalaysianJournalismAwards2024

The Star
21-06-2025
- Politics
- The Star
Wong Chun Wai named National Journalism Laureate
Decades of dedication: Wong (centre) and Roz Ariffin (left), representing his late father Rozaid Abdul Rahman, with Zambry during the MPI-PETRONAS Malaysian Journalism Awards 2024 in Kuala Lumpur. — IZZRAFIQ ALIAS/The Star KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Seri Wong Chun Wai has been accorded the country's highest media award as a National Journalism Laureate. The Bernama chairman has thus joined a handful of veteran journalists who have been given the honour. Wong, 64, was announced as a recipient at the Malaysian Press Institute 2024 awards here last night. The Star columnist with over 40 years experience joined the newspaper as a junior reporter at its Penang office in 1984 after graduating from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia. 'The Star remained my only employer until 2023 but I have continued writing for the newspaper every Sunday,' he said. Wong had also served Star Media Group as its group chief editor and chief executive officer. The award was presented by Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Zambry Abdul Kadir. Wong is the 14th journalist to be chosen for the award. The first was the late Tan Sri Abdul Samad Ismail of Utusan Melayu and New Straits Times in 1988. This was followed by the late Tan Sri Lee Siew Yee (1992) of New Straits Times and writer cum activist, the late Datuk Ishak Muhammad or Pak Sako (1995). Other notables included Tan Sri Johan Jaaffar, Datuk Kadir Jasin, Khalidah Adibah Amin, the late Datuk Ahmad Rejal Arbee, the late Tan Sri Zainuddin Mydin and Datuk CC Liew. Wong has delivered numerous exclusives for The Star including interviews with the late physicist Stephen Hawking, ex-US president Bill Clinton and former Indonesian president Joko Widodo, among others. More recently, he interviewed former Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra in Bangkok. In 2003, Wong won the MPI best feature award for his investigative piece on Malaysians undergoing terrorism training in Afghanistan. His other accolades included being the first Malaysian to be elected into the Paris-based World Editors Award as well as being a chairman of the Asia News Network with over 21 media affiliates. 'My advice to fellow journalists is to never stop writing. 'I wish to commend my fellow veterans Tan Sri Johan Jaaffar, Datuk Seri Azman Ujang, Datuk Yong Soo Heong, June Wong, Veera Pandiyan, N. Dorairaj, Datuk Kadir Jasin and Datuk Kuik Cheng Kang, who still write, whether regularly or occasionally.' He has also used digital platforms including Instagram, X and YouTube to express his views. Wong said he was a firm advocate of trained journalists, saying 'we have gone through years of learning, understanding the legal limits and even sensitivities in multiracial Malaysia'. 'More importantly, the established media is accurate and we take responsibility for what we publish,' he said. He said social media has 'allowed everyone to be a so-called journalist but it has also led to unverified and fake news as well as hate content passed off as news'. On his most memorable experience as a reporter, he said: 'To be in Aceh, Indonesia, in 2004 after the tsunami tragically hit the place claiming 200,000 lives.' Wong said it was heart-wrenching to see the tragedy and to understand 'what the massive nauseating smell of death was like'. He also recalled going into Kampung Simunul in Semporna, Sabah, in 2013 shortly after armed Filipino intruders had killed several Malaysian policemen. He recalled walking into the deserted village to find 'fresh human tissues and blood still on the ground'. Wong said journalists had tough jobs but also had ringside seats to watch history unfold. 'It's the best job around – that's my advice to young people.' He is also the author of Penang's History, My Story, which was published by The Star in 2014. Wong dedicated his award to all Malaysian journalists for their contributions as witnesses to the nation's history.


The Star
19-05-2025
- Automotive
- The Star
Keeping media standards high
Yong says the sponsorship will also be spent on upskill training for media personnel, the corporate sector and government agencies. A total of 548 entries have been received from media practitioners vying for recognition in Malaysia's journalism awards. Malaysian Press Institute (MPI) said there were a total of 60 entries more than the previous year. Fifty-eight media organisations from all over the country, including Sabah and Sarawak, are participating in MPI-PETRONAS Malaysian Journalism Awards 2024, which will be held in conjunction with a media night in Kuala Lumpur on June 20. MPI chief executive officer Ainol Amriz Ismail said the event had garnered up to RM1.25mil in sponsorship, with PETRONAS putting in RM450,000 as the main sponsor for award night prizes. The media practitioners are competing in both traditional and emerging media formats, comprising 21 categories including environmental, social and governance (ESG) journalism, radio broadcasting, podcasting, video documentary work, live streaming, and investigative reporting. For the media night, MPI collaborated with Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) and received RM799,500 in sponsorship from 51 organisations, including corporate entities, ministries, government agencies, and media organisations. 'The total amount of sponsorships is 15% more than last year,' Ainol Amriz said during a sponsors appreciation event in Petaling Jaya, Selangor. 'The number of organisations has also increased, from only 22 last year. 'The increase is a sign of confidence in MPI,' he added. A town hall on how corporations, government agencies, and sponsors could obtain opportunities for coverage in the media was also held during the event attended by 130 representatives of 41 organisations. MPI president Datuk Yong Soo Heong, in a press conference after the event, said sponsorship for the awards had several main selling points. 'One is to be able to attend a function where the best in Malaysian media will be in the same room. 'Sponsors will be able to mingle with the editors, chief editors and reporters to get to know how they work. 'They can improve their ways when it comes to interacting with the media to achieve higher visibility. 'It is also a prestigious event. This year, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof will be attending the event,' he said. Yong said the money received from sponsors would also go towards upskill training, not only for journalists but also those working in corporate and government agencies. 'What you see today is not just a form of contribution and encouragement. 'It is also a sign of lasting friendship which has taken time to build,' said Yong, adding that MPI had been receiving support for its awards night for the past 45 years. Some 1,000 guests are expected to attend the awards night. To mark the occasion, a coffee-table book detailing the generosity of its major sponsors and featuring the work of former journalists will be one of the souvenirs.