KUALA LUMPUR: The New Straits Times won a total of five awards at the MPI-Petronas Malaysian Journalism Awards 2023 tonight.
NST's Intan Maizura Ahmad Kamal and Elena Simala Koshy secured gold in the 'Best Radio Podcast' category with their 'Sunday Vibes @ NST Podcast Episode 51: Scammers Alert!'
This marks the first time that the NST has won in the category.
Intan said she was humbled by the win.
"It began as a passion project, something we did during the Covid-19 pandemic at home.
"It eventually grew into something bigger, and the rest is history," she said.
Elena, meanwhile, said she was proud of the win.
"The podcast is something that we have never done before. We're so proud that after over a year, we've won an award for it," she said.
Moving forward, the duo plan to create newer segments and spinoffs for the podcast while maintaining its DNA.
NST associate editor (content and digital) Najmuddin Najib described the gold award in the 'Best Radio Podcast' category as a monumental achievement.
"This is a landmark achievement for the NST as it is the first time we have won in this category. It also reflects the significant efforts we have made to chart new ground in the digital sphere.
"We are certain this win will be the first of many.
"In the near future, we will be rolling out more digital content as we push the envelope even further," he said.
Meanwhile, NST journalists Iylia Marsya Iskandar and Aliza Shah won silver in the categories 'Best Investigative Journalism' and 'Best News Report' with their work titled: 'Vehicle Recycling Syndicate' and 'Reflecting on MH370 and MH17 Anniversaries: Lessons Learned and Continued Remembrance', respectively.
NST executive editor (production), David Christy won bronze in the Best Columnist category for his columns titled: 'GEG demise: It's easier to fly to Mars than to flay Big Tobacco'; 'With ChatGPT, AI, automation around, can poor old folk find work ah?'; 'This writer is dark, dirty, 'doughless' and looks like a crook'; as well as 'It took/takes so long to get home in KL traffic.'
NST photographer Aizuddin Saad won silver in the 'Best Photo Essay' with his work titled 'Unsettling Time At Quake Ground Zero'.
NST's sister publications, Berita Harian and Harian Metro, took home four awards in total.
Harian Metro bagged three awards in the categories 'Best Columnist', 'Best Infographic' and 'Best Video Podcast'.
Berita Harian meanwhile, won bronze through its photographer, Mohamad Danial Mohamad Saad in 'Best Photojournalism'.
The prestigious Kajai award went to Malaysiakini's Vinothaa Selvatoray, Ooi Choon Nam and Affan Amrish Mohd Jalani for their series on stateless children in Sabah who were taken forcefully from their parents to become foster children.
The trio took home a RM30,000 cash prize, a trophy and certificate.
Meanwhile, the National Journalism Icon honour was won by journalism veteran and former NST columnist Adibah Amin.
The MPI-Petronas Malaysian Journalism Awards 2023 saw a total of 488 media practitioners participating.
Held at the Majestic Hotel, it was attended by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil.
Also present were NSTP group managing editor Datuk Ahmad Zaini Kamaruzzaman and NST group editor Farrah Naz Karim.