PRESS AWARD: Cannon (second left) and D’ Arcy (second right) together with Amelia and Cheng with placards inviting media practitioners to participate in the Malaysia MICE Journalism Award.
KUCHING: Professional journalists and writers are invited to participate in the Malaysia MICE Journalism Award (MMJA) which seeks to honour excellent business journalism in the country.
In its second year running, MMJA is offering prizes worth RM12,000 to each category winner.
The main prize for each category is a convention package worth RM10,000 to any journalism conference. This is inclusive of flight, accommodation and registration. In addition, there would also be RM2,000 pocket money.
MICE is an acronym for meetings, incentives, conference and exhibitions, and MMJA is an initiative of Sarawak Convention Bureau (SCB). It is jointly supported by Borneo Convention Centre Kuching (BCCK) and the Malaysian Press Institute (MPI).
“The media have been crucial in supporting business events by highlighting relevant issues. We hope that through MMJA more in-depth reports on the industry will be produced, thus creating a better understanding of the value of business events to the Malaysian community,” said SCB managing director Mike Cannon at a press conference yesterday.
This year’s award will have two categories – MICE in Malaysia and MICE in Sarawak. It is opened to the print, online and broadcast media.
Entries under the MICE in Sarawak category are open to media practitioners not necessarily based in Sarawak, and their work can either be in English, Bahasa Malaysia or Chinese.
Entries will be judged based on quality of research, creativity, content and headlines, and quality of techniques and presentations.
Cannon said they were also looking into adding categories for photography and videos in the near future.
MMJA, he said, strived for responsible, informed and original stories that offered in-depth outlook on business events in Malaysia.
Last year’s debut effort saw more than 30 entries submitted, mostly from the peninsula.
“I strongly encourage the media to submit their entries for MMJA 2012. Not only will you be gaining exposure and recognition for your work, and stand a chance to attend an international journalism conference to establish connection, but you will help pave the way for business journalism in Malaysia,” said BCCK chief executive officer (CEO) Paul D’ Arcy.
Also present at the press conference were SCB Global Marketing and Communications director Amelia Roziman and BCCK senior marketing and PR executive Mike Cheng.
For more information, visit www.mmjaward.com. Entries should reach the secretariat by Sept 5.