KUALA LUMPUR: The New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd (NSTP) group bagged four awards at the MPI-Petronas Malaysian Journalism Awards 2019 here, tonight.
NSTP made a clean sweep of two categories, namely Best Columnist and Excellence International Journalism.
New Straits Times (NST) Production Editor Rajan David Christy won the Best Columnist category for his 'Bro, why is living so costly, lah?', 'Do young people really read?', and 'When a man betrays his wife.' He took home RM10,000, a trophy, and a certificate.
Coming second and third were NST's sister paper Berita Harian (BH), who took home two consolation prizes of the category via Adha Ghazali and Kadir Dikoh.
For Excellence International Journalism, Tuan Mohamad Asri Tuan Hussein from Harian Metro (HM) was named as the winner. He took home RM10,000, a trophy, and a certificate.
Ahmad Fairuz Othman from NST and Ismail Mat from BH took home the two consolation prizes of the category.
HM also won the Best Infographics category via Nor Salim Mohamed Dawam and Nor 'Asyikin Mat Hayin, while Mohd Faiz Iz'aan Mohd Suhimi from NST won the consolation prizes in the same category.
For Best Petronas — Environmental Reporting category, BH reporters; Junita Mat Rasid, Mohamed Farid Noh, Mohd Fahmi Mohd Yusof, and Mohd Abdul Illah Hafiz Abdul Aziz were named as winners.
NSTP also bagged several consolation prizes namely Excellence News Reporting category via NST reporters, namely Ahmad Fairuz Othman, Rizalman Hammim, Audrey Shoba Vijaindren, and Hashini Kavishtri Kannan for their report on Causeway Story; and Excellence Photo Journalism category with Khairul Azry Bidin (HM).
HM also won the consolation prize for Excellence Investigative Reporting category with its report on 'Pencerobohan Bot Nelayan Asing' by Mohd Salman Hamat, Mohamad Hussin, Amir Abd Hamid, Yusmizal Dolah Aling, Nurul Ekhwan Haque Fazlul Haque, Hafidzul Hilmi Mohd Noor, Mahaizura A Malik, and Mohd Firdaus Ibrahim.
Meanwhile, Khairul Anuar Md Nor from BH won the consolation prize for Best Editorial Cartoon category, while Osman Adnan received a consolation prize for the Best Photo Essay category.
During the event, former NST group editor the late Datuk Ahmad A. Talib was named recipient of the Special Jury Award. The award was received by his daughter Sophia.
Ahmad died on May 26, after a battle with cancer.
Senior Education Minister Dr Radzi Jidin presented the award to the winners. Radzi also launched the new MPI book titled The MPI Story.
Present were MPI executive chairman Datuk Dr Chamil Wariya, Petronas president and group chief executive officer Tengku Muhammad Taufik Tengku Aziz, veteran newsmen and National Journalist Award recipients Datuk A. Kadir Jasin and Tan Sri Johan Jaaffar.
The prestigious annual award, initially scheduled for April 21, was postponed to yesterday due to the implementation of the Movement Control Order (MCO).
The MPI received a total of 306 entries from participants from various media companies Petronas has been the major sponsor of the awards since 1994.