KUALA LUMPUR: Sarawak Tribune journalist Fasiha Kushairi has won the Silver Award in the Best Feature Writing category at the Malaysian Press Institute (MPI) Hadiah Kewartawanan Malaysia (HKM), earning her first national journalism accolade.
She received the award for her feature series on speech delay, which explored the issue through in-depth reporting, expert insights and personal stories.
Expressing her gratitude, Fasiha said the award came as an unexpected but deeply meaningful recognition of her journey as a journalist.
“I am truly honoured and grateful to receive my first national journalism award. It is something I never expected when I first started as a journalist.
“This recognition means a lot because it reflects the hard work, dedication and commitment that went into producing quality stories. I also see it as a motivation to continue learning and delivering journalism that makes a difference to readers,” she said.
Fasiha’s award-winning series examined speech delay from multiple perspectives, providing readers with a comprehensive understanding of the condition while highlighting its impact on children, families and the wider community.
Rather than treating the topic as a standalone news report, she chose to develop it into a feature series that combined human-interest storytelling with expert insights and evidence-based reporting.
“The series looked at the issue from different angles through in-depth reporting, interviews and factual information.
“The aim was to help readers better understand the subject while highlighting its impact on the community,” she explained.
Fasiha said the decision to pursue the topic was driven by a desire to give greater visibility to an issue that affects many families but is often not discussed in sufficient depth.
“The inspiration came from seeing how important the issue was to the people involved. I felt it deserved more than just a single news report.
“I wanted to tell the story in greater depth, give a voice to those directly affected and present accurate, balanced reporting that could create greater public awareness,” she added.
Looking ahead, she described the recognition as the beginning of a new chapter rather than the culmination of her career.
“I will continue striving to produce meaningful stories, especially those that have a positive impact on society. At the same time, I want to improve my skills in investigative and feature reporting, while upholding the ethics and responsibilities of journalism.
“I hope this achievement also inspires young journalists to believe that dedication and passion will always be recognised,” she said.
