MIRI: The Sarawak Federation of Journalists Association (FSJA) will relentlessly work closely with its collaborators on how best to make the prestigious Kenyalang Shell Press Awards (KSPA) a platform to encourage quality journalism.
The collaborators apart from FSJA are the Shell Malaysia, the State Government — both sponsors for the awards, the Malaysian Press Institute (MPI) — a body entrusted with judging of the entries for the awards.
FSJA president Phyllis Wong said recent suggestions by a panel of judges from MPI to improve KSPA, like the holding of workshops, motivational talks and presentation of the awards in May or June instead of year end, will be taken into consideration.
“We welcome the suggestions and all these have to be endorsed by the KSPA organising committee for 2015 and beyond,” said Wong when met by The Borneo Post during the appreciation dinner for KSPA organising committee members in Miri on Wednesday night.
Among the over-30 members present were advisor to the KSPA 2014 and Shell Malaysia Upstream communication advisor Zulkifli Baba Noor, organising chairman Elmer Yeo and acting president of the Northern Sarawak Journalists Association (NSJA) Rick Wong.
Meanwhile, Zulkifli also concurred with Wong, adding that Shell as the stakeholder of the KSPA will support whatever is feasible to improve the standard of journalism in Sarawak.
“We in Shell are all for the improvement of journalism standards in Sarawak and for the best interest of those in the industry.
After 26 years in existence, the rules and regulations for KSPA might have to be reviewed to allow more journalists in the print, electronic and even in social media to send in their entries,” he said.
NSJA Miri was tasked on Nov 28 to host the 26th Edition of KSPA, the premier state journalism awards which received 288 entries, offered RM75,000 worth of prizes.
Resource Planning and Environment Minister Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan, who represented Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem in officiating at the presentation of the annual awards. It is primarily in recognition of journalists’ contributions to nation-building and to encourage quality journalism.