Star Media Group (SMG) emerged as a top winner at the MPI-PETRONAS Malaysian Journalism Awards 2025, securing three gold, two silver, and four bronze awards across various categories including Best Infographic, Young Journalist Award, News Reporting, and Multimedia. The awards ceremony also saw the Kajai Award presented to Nurul Hidayah Hamid from Sinar Harian, while Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim emphasized the importance of journalistic values in the age of AI.
Well done: Chief content officer Datin Paduka Esther Ng and managing editor Brian Martin celebrating SMG’s achievement with award winners at the MPI-Petronas Malaysian Journalism awards 2025 in Kuala Lumpur.
— GLENN GUAN/The Star KUALA LUMPUR: Star Media Group emerged as one of the biggest winners at the MPI-PETRONAS Malaysian Journalism Awards 2025 on Friday , taking home three gold, two silver and four bronze awards.
The gold award winners for SMG were Mohd Izudin Ismail, Hassan Bahri and Mohd Syahril Mohd Jamil, who won Best Infographic for 'Sabah's Pinnacle of Nature'; Christopher Fam, who received the A. Samad Said Young Journalist Award for 'Tapping Into Debt: Spend Now, Stress Later, Real or Deepfake: Through The Looking Glass' and 'Hold The Phone: Age For Access'; and Ragananthini Vethasalam, Charles Ramendran and Justin Zack Yusof, who won Best News Reporting for 'Monsters Prey on Children and The Day I Lost My Smile'. The silver award winners were Nelson Benjamin, who won Best Column; and Gerard Gimino, Ragananthini and Benjamin Lee, who received Best News Reporting for the fire safety series.
The bronze award winners were Muhammad Hafeez Aminuddin, Foo Chern Hwan, Tung Eng Hwa, Muhammad Shyafiq Dzulkifli and Abdul Razak Ahmad Idris for Best Infographic; Angelin Yeoh for Best Feature; Chelsea Ng, Fazleena Aziz, Zakiah Koya, Nurbaiti Hanim Hamdan and Ragananthini for Best Investigative Reporting; and Dr Christina Chin, Nor Shalina Abdul Samad, Mohd Syahril Mohd Jamil and Mohd Farik Zolkepli for Best Multimedia. Meanwhile, the prestigious Kajai Award was clinched by Nurul Hidayah Hamid from Sinar Harian, who produced a special report series titled “Nasib Budak Flat”.
Earlier in his speech, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said that as artificial intelligence reshapes the media landscape, journalism must remain firmly rooted in strong values and ethics. He said that while AI was becoming increasingly accessible and offered vast opportunities to improve capabilities across industries, its development and use must be guided by integrity and strong moral principles.
“We must be prepared to face the challenges brought about by technological advancement by enhancing our capabilities and skills across all fields. “As AI becomes increasingly accessible to everyone, we must exercise caution in how we approach and develop this technology. "We must strive to advance AI in a way that is more integrated and firmly grounded in strong values and ethics,” he said in his address at the event on Friday.
MPI president Datuk Yong Soo Heong, who spoke at the event which also hosted the Malaysian Journalism Night 2026, said to ensure journalists remain equipped for the changing media landscape, MPI would continue strengthening training in reporting, editing, digital journalism, data analytics, cyber security and the ethical use of AI, enabling media practitioners to adapt to technological advances without compromising professional principles. Chief reporter, Ragananthini, 34, who clinched the gold award, said she hopes the stories will make a real impact and bring about meaningful change.
“It doesn’t stop here. We will continue producing stories until there are changes in the issues we highlight, whether it is the registry for video files, fire hazards, or conditions in hospitals and schools.
“We hope the authorities will take note and take concrete action. We will continue doing our job and producing stories that make a difference,” she said.
Meanwhile, Fam, 29, who won gold for the A. Samad Said Young Journalist Award , said he was delighted to have won the gold award after missing out last year despite being nominated.
“Last year, I was nominated but didn’t win. I’m really happy that I finally got it this time,” he said. He also hoped the recognition would motivate him to continue producing impactful technology stories with a strong human angle.
Please follow us on Google to support usJournalism Awards Star Media Group MPI-PETRONAS Malaysian Journalism Awards 2025
Malaysia Latest News, Malaysia Headlines
Similar News: You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Shila Amzah to celebrate 25 years in music with star-studded Genting showcaseKUALA LUMPUR, July 16 — Award-winning multilingual powerhouse Shila Amzah is set to ignite Genting Highlands’ Arena of Stars next month in celebration of her 25th anniversary...
Read more »
Malaysian Art Scene: Group Shows, Solo Exhibitions, and AI-Themed DisplaysA summary of four concurrent art exhibitions in Malaysia: 'In Between Worlds' at G13 Gallery featuring emerging artists, Iggy Rodriguez's solo show at The Back Room, a Robert Rauschenberg retrospective at Ilham Gallery, and an AI-focused exhibition at Multimedia University.
Read more »
Malaysia's Fiscal Deficit Expected to Decline in 2026, Says AmBank GroupMalaysia's fiscal deficit is expected to decline to 3.5% of the country's GDP in 2026, down from 3.7% in 2025, according to AmBank Group's Chief Economist, Firdaos Rosli. The forecast is supported by the government's consistent record of prudent fiscal management and the expected stronger nominal GDP growth this year due to the low base effect. However, Firdaos warned that the target may be more challenging to achieve if four scenarios occur, including slower economic growth due to external pressure and a decline in commodity-related revenue. He also emphasized the need for the government to continue focusing on maintaining momentum in economic growth as external pressures increase.
Read more »
Human Rights Group Demands Inquest into Inmate's DeathA human rights group has called for an immediate and transparent inquest into the death of a 69-year-old inmate at Seremban prison a week before he was due to be released.
Read more »