KUCHING: Local veteran journalist and videographer Basri Mohamad has been honoured with the ‘Tokoh Wartawan’ Award for his remarkable contributions to the field of journalism.
The 82-year-old former TV3 journalist received the award during the 36th edition of the Kenyalang Journalism Awards (KJA), held at the Riverside Majestic Hotel yesterday evening (Dec 14). The award was presented by Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg.
Abang Johari in his speech took the opportunity to congratulate Basri on being named the ‘Tokoh Wartawan’.
“I would like to express my congratulations to Haji Basri. We come from the same village, he said.
Abang Johari then reflected on Basri’s long-standing career, saying that the latter was already active in reporting when he was still in school.
“Alhamdulillah, he is blessed with a long life and continues to remain active, observing developments in journalism to this day,” he said.
Basri, a Kuching native, is a celebrated figure in Sarawak’s broadcasting landscape, particularly during the 1990s when TV3, Malaysia’s first private station, established a foothold in the state.
Starting his career as a stringer, Basri was a trailblazer, excelling in dual roles as a journalist and cameraman.
With deep passion and enthusiasm, Basri carried out his duties as a video journalist with full dedication and discipline.
His passion saw him traveling to remote parts of Sarawak to report news, including features for Majalah Tiga, which focuses on humanitarian stories. Basri’s commitment inspired other journalists at that time, many of whom now hold senior positions in media organisations and related fields.
Among the news covered by Basri were the RMAF Nuri Tragedy in 1989; Royal Brunei Plane Crash in 1997; and the Landslide in Kampung Ruan Changkul, Simunjan in 2002.
His work also include humanitarian features, such as the life of Mani, a Malay man living in poverty, and the nomadic lifestyle of the Penan community.
His work earned him several accolades, including the Kenyalang Shell Press Award 1998 (Gold – Broadcast Journalist Award); Kenyalang Shell Press Award 1999 (Gold – Broadcast Journalist Award); and Kenyalang Shell Press Award 1999 (Gold).
Meanwhile, the KJA, hosted by Kuching Division Journalists Association (KDJA), also saw journalists of different agencies win several awards in various categories.
This year, the awards received a remarkable 390 entries across 10 categories namely Journalism (Feature and News Feature), News Reporting, Sports Reporting, Broadcast Journalism, Sustainability Journalism, Business & Economic Journalism, Community Well-being Journalism, Photojournalism, Photo Essay, and Digital Economy Journalism.
One of the evening’s highlights was the presentation of the prestigious Premier Sarawak Award by Abang Johari to four outstanding entries from their respective sections: Siti Nurain Ratani from Suara Sarawak, Jenifer Laeng from The Borneo Post, Hii Hong Wee and his nine colleagues from Sin Chew Daily, and Amirah Syazwani Syawel from TVS.
