30-06-2025
Star Media Group's Sabah team bags six honours at Kinabalu Press Awards
(From left) Sabah bureau chief Datuk Muguntan Vanar, Sandra Sokial, Stephanie Lee, (another STAR stringer) Rebecca Chong and Yong.
KOTA KINABALU: Star Media Group Berhad's Sabah bureau bagged a total of six awards with two golds and four merits in this year's Kinabalu Press Awards.
Journalist Stephanie Lee Shao Fen bagged a gold for Sports Journalism with her story "Giddy up for polo", while she received three merit awards for two entries in the Journalism Award (Feature and News Feature) and news reporting (Non-Feature) categories.
One merit award was a group effort, "Sabah government to investigate demolition of Palau community houses in Semporna amid controversy".
ALSO READ: Giddy up for polo
Sandra Vivian Sokial, a veteran journalist who had been away from the media line 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" also earned her a RM1,500 cash prize. She also received another merit award in the business and economic reporting category.
Retired veteran journalist Chan Kang Yuan, 90, received the Golden Service Award.
ALSO READ: Sabah government to investigate demolition of Palau-community houses in Semporna amid controversy
Chan, who started as a copywriter for a local Chinese daily, spent his entire working life as a journalist covering stories from the time of the British rule of North Borneo to the formation of Malaysia and beyond during six decades in the profession.
His last position was as an editor for another local newspaper, and he retired in 2021.
At the event's opening ceremony, Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor called on media practitioners to work with the state government to disseminate policy information, clarify fake news, and provide on-the-ground information to state agencies.
ALSO READ: Bringing the tale of Huminodun to the world
He said both the media and state government must continue to have strategic partnerships so that information can be shared both ways for the betterment of the people.
His speech was delivered by state Assistant Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Joniston Bangkuai, who is the trustee of the Sabah Journalists Association (SJA).
Newly minted SJA president Mariah Doksil reminded both veteran and rookie reporters to co-exist with artificial intelligence (AI), but never let it take over a writer's creative efforts.
She also called upon all practitioners to work together in the mission to spread verified and dependable information for the benefit of readers, policymakers and journalists.
Also present was Malaysian Press Institute (MPI) president Datuk Yong Soo Heong.
